We won’t protect VIPs involved in crime, Police say

National Police Service Spokesman Charles Owino. NPS has warned it will withdraw security detail of VIPs involved in crime. [File, Standard]

The government will henceforth cease to protect VIPs accused of crime until such a time when they will be cleared by the courts, the National Police Service has said.

A statement from the NPS signed by the Police Spokesperson Charles Owino has revealed that VIPs who have been accorded protection through bodyguards and are not able to reciprocate the privilege by being law-abiding will have their security details withdrawn.

“To avoid compromising and demeaning the very essence of which the police is mandated, the NPS shall not provide security detail to VIPs who are involved or suspected to be involved in crime until they are cleared by the court,” read the NPS in part.

According to the NPS, the action will extend to the firearm holding VIPs who have gone rogue by engaging in crime using their licensed weapons.

It stated: “Those VIPs who are civilian firearm holders shall have their certificates canceled and weapons are withdrawn.”

The move comes barely hours after Embakasi East Member of Parliament Paul Ongili alias Babu Owino was charged with attempted murder at the Milimani law courts.

Babu pleaded not guilty before Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi in a case where he is accused of shooting Felix Orinda (DJ Evolve) on Friday morning last week at B Club in Nairobi.

The legislator on his defence, through his lawyer Cliff Ombeta, claimed that the shooting was triggered by an aggressive group of people who surrounded him at the time, hence he felt threatened.

Babu has been remanded for seven days pending the preparation of the bail report by the probation team. He will be produced in court on January 27.

The new directive could also affect Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria who was charged with assaulting an activist, Joyce Wanja alias Wagichungumwa at Royal Media Services studios last year.

The MP was arrested at around 10am on January 10 by officers from the newly created DCI Special Service Unit (SSU) .

This was after Wanja shared a video clip that went viral and claimed that the MP kicked and punched her while she was preparing for a TV debate.

On January 14, the MP appeared at the Milimani Law Courts over an assault case but failed to take plea after his defence team successfully objected to the move citing an application he filed before Chief Magistrate Kenedy Cheruiyot on Friday.

The court extended his term after he paid Sh20,000 police at the Kilimani Polic Station. He will take a plea on January 24, Friday.

Another possible victim of the new directive could be Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa who was arrested over the shooting of Ngumbao Jola during the campaign period of Ganda Ward by-election.

The late Jola was the uncle of the sitting area Member of County Assembly Reuben Katana who clinched the seat on an ODM party ticket.

The MP was accused of storming Mr Katana’s home after which chaos ensued leading to a shootout where the victim was shot in the chest.

Senior Mombasa Magistrate Vincent Adet on October 17, 2019, released Jumwa and her aide Geoffrey Okuto on a Sh1 million bond and a surety of a similar amount or an alternative cash bail of Sh500, 000. This was after the prosecution failed to prefer charges against them.