Court bars DCI from instituting criminal charges

The fall out and glamour to control the criminal investigations and prosecution in Kenya has left two institutions charged with the responsibilities pulling in different directions.

This was after a High Court judge George Odunga barred the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) from instituting criminal charges with the Office of Public Prosecution’s (ODDP) approval.

The DCI boss George Kinoti had attempted to proceed with a graft case against National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority boss Geoffrey Sang, which the suspect challenged.

Sang argued that the DCI had no mandate in law to prosecute him in a court saying that responsibility lies squarely in the hands of DPP boss Noordin Haji who had recalled his file.

In his ruling, Odunga noted while the two offices should work together, there was a clear role for each adding that the DCI overstepped its mandate in Sang’s case.

The latest development pointed to the frosty relationship between Haji and Kinoti despite the two maintaining all was well.