The family of former Internal Security Minister George Saitoti has protested over slow pace of investigations into the helicopter crash that killed him and five others.
The family said there seem to be someone who is issuing instructions to the team constituted to investigate the crash on how they need to proceed.
Through lawyer Fred Ngatia, the family, which had accompanied some members of the team headed by Court of Appeal judge Justice Kalpana Rawal to the site of the crash in Ngong, said the person issuing the orders does not want the truth to be known.
Ngatia said he does not understand why the team is yet to start its work several days after it was constituted and sworn-in to office. He noted that crucial evidence on the crash is degenerating.
“There seems to be someone who is issuing orders on the probe in attempts to obstruct us from knowing the truth. Why should you take long in mapping the site and carrying the wreckage from this area?” asked Ngatia.
Ngatia was accompanied by two aviation experts and investigators from South Africa and Saitoti’s brothers Ronald and Geoffrey, and other relatives when he spoke.
Some members of the Rawal team were also at the scene. But the team was not ready to collect debris due to logistics.
Some members of the team were heard answering Ngatia saying bureaucracy was the main cause for the delay.
This prompted Ngatia to demand a formal session with Judge Rawal’s team to raise their concerns. Justice Rawal was not at the scene.
“That word bureaucracy is what I don’t want to hear. We need somewhere to lodge complaints on this because evidence is deteriorating, and the cost of retaining the investigators is high,” said Ngatia.
Ngatia and his group later walked away, and leaving the other members to continue with mapping.
A member of the team Capt Peter Maranga said they were at the scene to identify the pieces of the helicopter before they start investigations.
Safer storage
“We have a lot to do on this probe because this is just the beginning. The wreckage will have to be removed and taken for safer storage somewhere else,” said Maranga.
The two South Africans led by Chris Brier, who are part of four aviation experts who joined the probe continued with their work concentrating on the engine.
The other two French experts who represent the manufacturer of the plane Eurocopter and the French Government did not visit the scene.
The team was expanded to 13 members. They include Justice Rawal (chair) and assessors Maj-Gen (Rtd) Harold Tangai, Maj (Rtd) Charles Muyehe Wandiri, Capt Maranga and Fredrick Aggrey Opot.
