Former Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere [Photo: Standard]

By Cyrus Ombati

KENYA: Former Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere has denied claims that he appointed imposter PPO Joshua Waiganjo, and he has declared he that ready to testify before a team established to investigate the case.

Iteere who retired last month said he will co-operate with the team if and when called upon to give his word on what he knew on Joshua Waiganjo.

“I am ready and willing to submit myself to the investigation in order for the truth to be known,” he said in a statement to newsrooms on Wednesday.

He countered claims that he appointed Wiganjo as a Kenya Police Reservist (KPR) as fronted by the suspect and suspended Rift Valley PPO John M’Mbijiwe.

Iteerw said he never knew the existence of Waiganjo prior to the Baragoi massacre in which more than 40 police officers were ambushed and killed in a botched operation last November.

He said claims by Waiganjo’s family that he appointed him to the position are pure lies.

“If it is indeed true that I promoted, appointed or transferred him as alleged, then where are the letters or signals to that effect?” posed Iteere.

He explained that urban KPR was disbanded in 2004 by then police boss Hussein Ali and since then, none has been appointed or reinstated.

He said he has never met Waiganjo or appointed him to the said position explaining he learnt of him from the investigation team he had appointed to probe the Baragoi operation in November.

“The team reported to me that the suspect had accompanied some members of the Rift Valley province security team to Baragoi to the incident.”

“I consequently instructed the Director of Criminal Investigations to thoroughly investigate the circumstances and in what capacity he accompanied the team,” said Iteere’s statement.

Waiganjo’s family and M’Mbijiwe had claimed they are aware Iteere had appointed and promoted him as a KPR.

Iteere’s statement came a day after M’Mbijiwe, the commandant of Anti-Stock Theft Unit Michael Rimi Ngugi and Njoro OCPD Peter Njeru Nthiga were interdicted to pave way for investigations into the issue.

The National Police Service Commission named a team to investigate the issue

Commission chairman Johnston Kavuludi said they have established a committee to investigate the matter and report within 21 days.

The team will comprise of officers from three commissioners from the Police Service Commission- Major Muiu Mutia, Mary Owuor and Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo who will nominate a representative.

Other members of the team include those from Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Public Service Commission, Law Society of Kenya and representative from the Attorney General’s office.

Kavuludi said the team will be assisted by a joint secretariat of Kenya police service and Administration Police and a counsel from the AG’s office who will prepare briefs and lead interviews of those appearing before the committee.
The team probing the saga will seek to establish inter alia whether Waiganjo was a police officer, a police reservist and who recruited him, the circumstances under which he operated as a police officer and who gave him orders and instructions.

The team will also seek to know what facilities including transport and equipment he was issued with, whether this is an isolated case or there are other persons impersonating as officers, to what extent was he privy to confidential information, if there is a relationship between him and the Baragoi incident and other incidents of serious crimes within the country and other related purposes.

Those with information on the activities of the fake officer are asked to submit the same to the team.

The commission said the incident in which Mr Joshua Waiganjo has been impersonating as a senior police officer for more than ten years has exposed serious lapse that has outraged the nation.

“We have put in place mechanisms to ensure that we get to the bottom of the matter such that proper investigations are conducted to reveal exactly how the lapse occurred and who within the police service is guilty of any act of omission or commission,” said Kavuludi.

He added action will be taken on those found to have dealt with Waiganjo.

He added the commission has ordered a thorough audit of the composition of all police officers in the country and a report will be made public in 30 days.

“The audit will confirm the number of police officers in the service, their qualifications, their placements, ranks and regional, ethnic and gender composition,” he said.

Waiganjo is alleged to have sacked and abused junior officers, and even attended top security meetings on various occasions over period of five years he easily passed off as a top policeman.

He also donned police uniform, complete with insignia showing he was a senior assistant commissioner of police.

He has since been charged in court and released on bond.