DCI Officers Arrest Kilifi Deputy Governor

Mr. Gideon Saburi who has recovered fully from coronavirus, a day after two other patients were discharged will now face arrest for refusal to self-quarantine after coming from Germany.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said Saburi has been given a clean bill of health.

“I am also pleased to announce to you that the Deputy Governor of Kilifi County has fully recovered,” Kagwe said during a daily media briefing from the Ministry of Health where he announced the death of two more people, and 29 new infections, raising the total number of positive cases to 110 in the country.

“The issue of the law will now follow up with him,” Kagwe said of the Deputy Governor who was accused of roaming around on arrival in the country, breaching the mandatory 14 days quarantine.

Saburi’s recovery brings to a total of 3 patients recovering from the novel virus in Kenya.

The DG was urged to self-Isolate but defied the directive, forcing authorities to impose a mandatory isolation at his own cost.

The Ministry of Health has challenged recovered coronavirus patients to be ambassadors of hope to Kenyans amid the soaring cases of infections in the country.

Saburi, who is now facing arrest, jetted back into the country on March 6, from Berlin and interacted with a number of people including county officials on March 8 in Rabai, Kilifi County to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Days after, he joined mourners at a funeral at Bandora in Kambe-Ribe Ward.

This has sparked widespread fear following Saburi’s unrestricted interaction with a number of people from Kilifi.

Two legislators who came into contact with him have also presented themselves to the Coast General Hospital for testing including Rabai MP William Kamoti.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has also issued a statement laying out the mode of punishment that will be visited on individuals found guilty of infecting others with Covid-19.

Citing the Public Health Act Cap 242, the DCI announced that any individual found guilty of passing on infectious diseases to others knowingly would be ordered to pay a fine of Ksh30,000, or serve a 3-year prison sentence, or both.