Senior police officer wants High Court to order NPSC to vet him afresh

NAIROBI, KENYA: A senior police officer who was sacked alongside 13 others after failing a re-vetting process by the National Police Service Commission has asked the court to quash the decision saying that he was erroneously kicked out of service.

Senior Superintendent Shedrack Maithya, who was Garissa County Commander, in his case filed before the High Court claimed that he was unfairly sacked.
The commission found that he had undervalued his house and had not adequately convinced them of where his source of wealth emanated from.

Moreover, the Kavuludi led commission found that he was running a break down business, which was in conflict with his work as a police officer. But he now says that the land rover, which was used to run the business, belonged to his wife, who is also a police officer.

“There has never been a complaint of corruption and there was no complaint about the acquisition of the house before the respondent for it to make an inference that the petitioner's house was acquired through corrupt and fraudulent schemes," the court papers filed by lawyer George Kithi read in part.

They continued: "Implying that the petitioner, after long service and prudent investments, cannot own property in Nairobi other than through corruption assassinated the unimpeachable character of the petitioner and destroys his reputation.”

The senior police officer also stated that two officials only vetted him on March 21, last year but the final decision was made inclusive of four who were absent. On his review this year February 2, he says, his boss Joseph Boinett and his deputy Samuel Arachi were not present but they were allowed to nail his career's coffin.

“The participation of the commissioners Boinett and Arachi in deciding the review application for the petitioner when they did not attend the review is unfair," he lamented.

The commission this year sacked 14 officers who are of the ranks of Senior Assistant Commissioner, Senior Superintendent and Superintendent. 23 others were reinstated after they convinced the commission that they were innocent.