Lawyer: Kethi Kilonzo didn’t defy summons

By GEOFFREY MOSOKU

KENYA: Lawyers representing Kethi Kilonzo have now refuted reports that she defied summons to appear before police on Wednesday.

According to Dan Maanzo, Kethi’s lead lawyer James Orengo has secured an appointment with the CID for next week on Tuesday, which will be duly honoured.

“We woke up to read in the news that police were concluding investigations after our client reportedly failed to appear to record a statement. That is far from the truth,” he said.

The Makueni MP said he had gone to the CID headquarters along Kiambu Road to make a follow-up but did not find department boss Ndegwa Muhoro.

“To ease anxiety, I appeared before the CID to verify the reports but did not meet with Mr Muhoro. Instead, I was directed to Mr Mohamed Amin who is leading the investigation,” he said.

According to the MP, Amin confirmed that the appointment is still on for next Tuesday at 9 am. While maintaining the innocence of their client, Maanzo said that they would honour the appointment, but castigated Muhoro for “resorting to the media to conduct a probe”. “I have agreed with the police that the appointment is to be on Tuesday and we will accompany our client but it’s unfortunate that Mr Muhoro is conducting a trial in the press,” said Mr Maanzo.

Yesterday, The Standard reported that police investigations into the controversy surrounding Kethi’s registration as a voter are almost complete and detectives say they have a case.

Ongoing probe

On Wednesday, a senior investigating officer told The Standard that the file will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko late next week. “The probe is ongoing and we expected Kethi to record a statement. We will send the file to the DPP with recommendations next week. So far, we have a case,” said the detective who spoke anonymously.

Should the CID recommend prosecution, it could stir up the controversy that blighted the run up to the by-election. When it was claimed that Kethi’s acknowledgement slip had been stolen from the commission, Chairman Issack Hassan wrote to CID director Ndegwa Muhoro inviting him to investigate the matter.

Kethi’s had been cleared to run for her late father’s seat by a returning officer in Makueni. But her nomination was contested and revoked before an IEBC tribunal tasked with arbitrating electoral disputes.