NAIROBI, KENYA: The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has warned against parallel investigations by government agencies into the alleged irregular allocation of public land in Lamu County.
DPP Keriako Tobiko told the Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission (EACC) and Criminal Investigations Department to conduct joint investigations for proper coordination.
“I advise that for purposes of proper coordination and to avoid the risk of having conflicting findings and or recommendations being made by the two bodies, joint investigations teams be impaneled to conduct ongoing investigations,” Tobiko said in a letter.
He wrote to EACC Chairman Mumo Matemu and Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo Monday over the matter and revealed that he had designated a team of prosecutors in his office to provide technical guidance and assistance.
He also ordered that the investigation files be forwarded to his office for further perusal and appropriate directives. The DPP was reacting to revelations that both CID and EACC had initiated investigations into the allocations.
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At CID, a special team of detectives has been appointed and tasked to investigate the issue.
The team of 10 gazetted officers is based at CID headquarters and has the mandate of probing the issue and report to the Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro.
On Thursday and Friday, the team interrogated former commissioner of lands Zablon Mabea.
Former Chief Lands Registrar Wambugu Ngatia and Director of Survey Euphantus Murage were also expected to face the team.
Other sources said former Lands Minister James Orengo, Ms Dorothy Angote, who served as Permanent Secretary will also be required to record statements if investigations pointed they had a role to play.
It also emerged most of the files with details of the land had been removed from Ardhi House and are now in the hands of the CID personnel investigating the allegations.
Matemu said they are also investigating the matter with an aim of knowing if there was any irregularity therein, adding that they will rely on the authority files that will reveal the minutes and the processes that led to allocation of the land to different companies.
