By Cyrus Ombati
The Commission of Inquiry investigating the helicopter crash that killed Internal Security Minister George Saitoti, his deputy Orwa Ojode, and four police officers did not collect the wreckage of the chopper as planned.
The team did not show up on Tuesday at the scene of the crash in Ngong.
Lawyers representing Saitoti complained that failure to collect the wreckage was complicating investigation and vowed to raise the issue when the commission starts sitting.
The probe team, which is headed by Court of Appeal judge Kalpana Rawal, is sittings at KICC.
Justice Rawal had ordered that they visit the scene and collect the wreckage on Tuesday after the commissioners were sworn-in and later visited Wilson Airport.
Officials said the judge was held up in a meeting at the Supreme Court.
Police arrived at the scene to oversee the exercise, almost three weeks after the chopper crashed.
“They needed to inform us in time that they would not come. We need to know what is at play in this issue,” said a lawyer representing Saitoti’s family.
Internal Security Minister Yusuf Haji had said the team was facilitated with equipment and personnel to start their work. He said arrangements have been made to move the wreckage as per directions of the technical team and the commission. Haji said the team has been provided with a container to store the wreckage.
Meanwhile, Speaker Kenneth Marende has said Parliament will follow the law in determining the beneficiaries of the late Ojode’s estate. Whoever Ojode had stated in Parliament records as his next of kin would be the beneficiary. Mr Marende, however, said no decision has been made on the letter Ojode’s elder brother wrote to him over the estate.
compensation process
Marende was answering questions from journalists after receiving a second cheque of Sh21.2 million from Kenindia Assurance for personal accident cover to be shared equally between the families of Saitoti and Ojode.
“We have received a letter from Ojode’s elder brother and we will effect payment in accordance with the law,” said the Speaker when receiving the cheque from the Managing Director of Kenindia Assurance, M Sarma.
Mr Sarma said the accident cover was general for legislators and the National Assembly was the right institution to make a decision on the beneficiary.
Ten days ago, Marende received the first cheque for MPs’ group life cover from Jubilee Insurance Company amounting to over Sh30 million for onward transmission to the families of former Environment Minister John Michuki, Saitoti and Ojode.
