I have never met Waiganjo, ex-top officer tells court

Former inspector general of Police Mathew Itere at Nakuru Law court on August 2, 2017 where he appeared to testify in a case pitting Mr Joshua Waiganjo, former Rift Valley Pro vincial Police boss John M'Mbijiwe and the former Anti-Stock Theft Unit Commandant Remi Ngugi. Mr Waiganjo is charged with impersonating a senior police officer while Mr M'Mbijiwe and Mr Ngugi are facing abuse of officer charges. Photo/Kipsang Joseph/Standard

NAKURU: Former police boss Mathew Iteere has denied ever meeting Joshua Waiganjo, who is facing charges of impersonating a police officer.

Giving evidence in a Nakuru court in a case facing Mr Waiganjo and two others, Mr Iteere denied ever meeting Waiganjo, saying it was his first time to set his eyes on the suspect.

Mr Iteere denied knowing the accused despite allegations that he (Waiganjo) was his nominee and had even communicated with him several times.

Waiganjo is facing charges alongside former Rift Valley Provincial Police Officer John M'Mbijiwe and former Anti-Stock Commandant Remi Ngugi, both of who are being charged with abuse of office.

Iteere said he gave his two mobile phone numbers to the inquiry team and was cleared by service providers who found that no communication existed between him and Waiganjo.

"I have never met Waiganjo; in fact, today is my first time to meet him face-to face. I have never set my eyes on him."

The former Commissioner of Police said he first hear of Waiganjo in December 2012, during an inquiry formed to investigate the killing of police officers in Baragoi.

During the inquiry, Iteere said on receiving an interim report, it emerged that there were two civilians aboard a police helicopter to Baragoi from Nakuru.

On investigation, it emerged that Waiganjo and the other person accompanied senior police officers to Baragoi.

He said he called the then provincial police boss, Mr M'Mbijiwe, to explain who the two were and the answer he received indicated that he (Waiganjo) was an officer in charge of Kenya Police Reservists in the Rift Valley while the other worked with a non-government organisation.

Iteere said they investigated further and came to establish from their records that Waiganjo was among the police reservists whose role and duty was discharged in 2004, in a letter dated April 21, 2004.

The letter indicated that the services of urban police reservists were disbanded and no longer required.