Warrant of arrest against PS Iringo lifted after he appeared in court

By Kurian Musa

Nairobi, Kenya: Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National government Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo has finally appeared at the High Court to answer claims that he has not complied with court orders to pay monetary claims from civil cases against the government.

Justice George Odunga sitting in Nairobi on Monday ordered Police boss David Kimaiyo to ensure that Iringo was arrested and arraigned in court immediately to explain why contempt of court proceedings should not be commenced against him.

The PS on Wednesday was accompanied by Central OCPD Patrick Oduma to the court, in compliance to the orders to arrest and take him to court.

He pleaded before Justice George Odunga that his ministry had run out of money.

Iringo said: “My ministry is committed to ensure that all claims are cleared in the shortest time possible.”

“We are in talks with the Treasury to seek further funding to pay the claimant. The claims are too many and we ran out of funds,” Mutea Iringo told the Judge.

The court lifted the warrant of arrest issued on the PS and directed that the case be heard on March 13, next month.

The Attorney General appealed the case awarding the Tanzanian national Sh 31 million for illegal arrest and detainment by the police and CID officers from Kiambu.

The AG appealed in favour of the ministry’s failure to pay Sh31.6 million awarded to the Tanzanian national James Koroso for false imprisonment and torture.

Koroso was arrested and charged with robbery with violence in 1993 before being acquitted.