Sacking of policemen was legal, NPSC boss Johnstone Kavuludi says

Johnstone Kavuludi

The National Police Service Commission has defended the sacking of two policemen who were allegedly seen by President Uhuru Kenyatta taking bribes.

However, NPSC Chairman Johnstone Kavuludi said that Coast Regional Police Commander Francis Mwangi Wanjohi erred by writing them sack letters on January 15 because he has no powers to dismiss officers employed by the commission.

He, however said that Wanjohi's mistake had been rectified and the officers sacked lawfully in accordance with the National Police Service Act.

Kavuludi has challenged a suit filed by Barnaba Kimeli Rutto and Joel Aturi Nyakango, who were formerly stationed at Makupa Police Station, at the Industrial Court in Mombasa seeking to overturn the sacking by arguing that the court has no jurisdiction to deal with the matter as the applicants have not exhausted the internal appeal mechanism.

The officers' sacking on January 15 by Wanjohi after their detention five days earlier ignited controversy after the President said that he saw them receiving bribes. Their dismissal letters, however, did not mention bribes and only said that they obstructed the President's motorcade.

Kavuludi wants Justice James Rika to dismiss the application arguing that proper and legal disciplinary procedures were followed in the former officers' sacking.