DPP faces ouster bid over withdrawal of death threat case

Director of Public Prosecution Renson Ingonga in a spot over withdrawal of a criminal case. [File, Standard] A petition has been filed before the Public Service Commission (PSC) seeking the removal of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga from office. The petition, filed by city businessman Hussein Aila Amaro, accuses the DPP of misconduct following the contentious withdrawal of a criminal case involving death threats against him. The threats are alleged to have been perpetrated by his former lover, Farida Idris Mohamed. According to the petition, Amaro claims that Mohamed, who had been charged with sending threatening text messages, was unjustly exonerated by the DPP despite overwhelming evidence against her. He says the threatening messages were sent over several days in 2019, following a bitter fallout with Mohamed over a business dispute involving Sh10 million. "I was in a relationship with Mohamed back in 2013, and we were engaged in 2017. However, the relationship deteriorated shortly after," Amaro states. "What followed was a business dispute that escalated, with Mohamed sending threatening messages. These threats are real and cannot be ignored." Mohamed was charged in September 2023 with sending threatening text messages to Amaro between June 14 and June 15, 2019. However, on January 25, 2025, the DPP gave the green light to drop the criminal case pending before Milimani Chief Magistrate courts, citing that the matter was more suitable for civil litigation rather than a criminal trial. "The DPP argued that continuing with the prosecution was an abuse of court process and that the issue should be handled as a civil matter. These reasons are not only legally unsound but also contrary to public interest," said Amaro in his petition. "This is not just a business dispute. It is a matter of life-threatening threats." Amaro's lawyers pointed to the presence of strong forensic evidence, including the threatening text messages and the mobile phone number used to send them, as a basis for the case proceeding to trial. "The DPP's decision to terminate the case undermines the rule of law and violates my constitutional right to protection," Amaro added. Amaro's advocates also noted that the DPP's decision came without consulting the complainant for his views, which is required under the Victim Protection Act. "The DPP violated my rights by failing to invite me to provide input during the review process," Amaro's legal team stated in the 217-page petition. His lawyers also accused the DPP of mishandling the case, claiming the decision had caused lasting emotional and psychological harm to Amaro. "The DPP's actions have caused continuous harm to Amaro. His life remains at risk, and the distress he faces continues to affect him mentally and emotionally," they stated. The background of the dispute dates back to 2018 when Amaro and Mohamed entered into a joint business venture, investing Sh10.6 million in a fuel station in Kahawa Sukari, Nairobi. According to Amaro's advocates, the partnership soured when Amaro grew suspicious of Mohamed's actions after failing to receive business records and requesting his investment back, which was never refunded. The businessman says that Mohamed conned alongside her brother Ayub Idris Mohamed, who later fled the country to Canada to avoid facing charges of fraud. "This was a business transaction gone wrong, but it has escalated into threats to my life," said Amaro. "Now, I'm seeking justice not only for myself but also for anyone who might face a similar situation." Amaro's advocates have urged the PSC to consider the petition's grounds as sufficient for the removal of DPP Ingonga from office.

DPP faces ouster bid over withdrawal of death threat case

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