Tobiko orders trial of officers over fake cop saga

By Cyrus Ombati

NAIROBI; KENYA: Director of Public Prosecution Keriako Tobiko has directed the prosecution of suspended Rift Valley police boss John M’Mbijiwe and Anti-Stock Theft Unit’s Remi Ngugi with abuse of office over the police impostor Joshua Waiganjo saga.

Further Tobiko has ordered that Waiganjo be prosecuted with three charges of personation, being in possession of public stores and obtaining money by false pretence.

Tobiko also wants former commissioner of police Mathew Iteere to record a statement with the police over claims made by Waiganjo to the effect that he used to talk to him on the phone.

In a letter to the Director of CID Ndegwa Muhoro, the DPP also ordered that police officers Gideon Kimilu, Joseph Ngisa, Salat Abdi, Fatuma Hadi and Alex Mathenge record their statements over their role in investigations into the case.

Tobiko told the Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo and National Police Service Commission to consider it terms of their respective constitutional and legal mandates initiating appropriate disciplinary/departmental action against all officers who were mentioned in the saga.

The officers include OCS Kilimani Peterson Mwangi, Nakuru head of police transport Isaac Ngala, the commandant of Londiani Forestry College Brig (Rtd) Michael Waweru, Peninah Wambui Mukundi of NYS and John Kariuki of ASTU.

Others are Benson Wambua John of Kikopey patrol base, Josel Mopel of ASTU, Pauline Ngima and Emily Mugambi who are secretaries at the commandant ASTU’s office be transferred.

He recommended the transfer of all officers who were close to Waiganjo out of Rift Valley and that any officers who were transferred under the influence of the fake cop to have their cases reviewed.

Waiganjo, is alleged to have sacked and abused junior officers, and even attended top security meetings on various occasions over period of five years he easily passed off as a top policeman.

He also donned police uniform, complete with insignia showing he was a senior assistant commissioner of police.

A team was appointed to investigate the case and made the recommendations to the DPP in March.

Iteere appeared before the team and denied appointing Waiganjo as the head of police reserve in Rift Valley as claimed by M’Mbijiwe.

Iteere said he is the one who ordered investigations into his activities in November after learning Waiganjo had accompanied M’Mbijiwe and other members of the provincial security committee to Baragoi.

He was cleared by the investigating team though he did not record his statement.