DPP orders probe in cell visit as he warns leaders

Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji at a past function. [File, Standard]

The Director of Public Prosecution has said the State will probe why an alleged military man visited Michael Oyamo in police cells.

Mr Noordin Haji yesterday told journalists he would seek an explanation why Lukas Ouko was allowed to meet Oyamo, who used to work in the navy. 

"The issue of the KDF official getting access will be investigated," Haji said, adding that although detainees are allowed to receive visitors he would require to be satisfied that this specific visitation was lawful, was recorded and was not designed to pervert the course of the investigation.

The incident has raised alarm within police circles following last week's sudden death of David Mwai in police cells. Mwai was being detained for the attempted murder of former Garissa finance executive Idriss Mukhtar when he allegedly hang himself inside the Parklands Police Station.

Oyamo is being detained following the brutal murder of university student Sharon Otieno.

Haji, who assured that there would be no 'sacred individuals' in the investigation to unravel Sharon's killing, also cautioned politicians and the public to stop making wild allegations.

“One thing I want to caution Kenyans about is that investigations take time. We have to go for DNA and pursue several theories before we arrive at a conclusion,” Haji said.

The DPP told politicians to stop engaging in ‘mob justice’ through speculation, which only complicated the ongoing probe. “Politicians should keep off and allow for investigations to take place."

Separately, Haji has vowed to act on the shooting of 34 people by police officers at the Coast this year, which has resulted in 32 deaths.

The DPP assured Kenyans that the Government would take action on perpetrators in the next two to three weeks after consultations with Inspector General Joseph Boinnet, Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti and members of the Independent Police Oversight Authority.

He spoke when he received a victims list from Haki Africa executive director Hussein Khalid. The killings occurred between January and September 7.

“It’s a matter of concern to all of us. As far as I am concerned, the Government doesn’t condone these killings. Such killing are not only reported here but in other parts of the country and are no longer attainable and must be curbed. I want to assure the public that we will set up a public inquiry to investigate the killings,” he said.

He noted that although the Government has the monopoly of violence, this must be exercised with care to avoid unnecessary loss of life.

In the latest incident, Balal Masudi, Juma Kitsau and Kenga Ramadhan were allegedly shot and killed in Utange on September 7 following allegations they were criminals.

Mr Khalid said security operations must be done lawfully to avoid cases of extra-judicial killings.