DPP orders further probe on CJ security threat

  

Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko (left) with Chief Justice Willy Mutunga during a past event. PHOTO / FILE 

By Nation Reporter
Posted  Monday, April 15  2013 at  11:02

 

The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed the Police to reopen investigations into a threatening letter sent to Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and resubmit its findings within 14 days.

The Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro, in his inquiry file, had dismissed the threat as lacking evidence and recommended for No Further Police Action.

However DPP Keriako Tobiko said the police investigations were shoddy and failed pursue important leads that could have revealed the source of the letter.

"I have reached the conclusion that the investigations did not examine or exhaust a number of pertinent leads and are wanting in some respects," Mr Tobiko said in a letter sent last Friday to the CID boss.

The DPP has also urged the police to boost the security of the Chief Justice, all judges and other judicial officers.

The Chief Justice shocked the nation on February 20, when he convened a press conference and alleged that members of the outlawed Mungiki Group had written to him and threatened his life if the courts give an adversarial ruling in the case challenging Uhuru Kenyatta’s bid for the presidency on integrity grounds. (READ: Probe threats to CJ to defuse the tension)

In his letter, the DPP expressed displeasure at how Police failed to follow up and obtain a statement from the account holder of the twitter account @ makau mutua who twitted a version of the threatening letter that bore material differences from the original.

Mr Tobiko also questioned how the investigating team had concluded that the threatening letter originated from some judiciary staff discontented by ongoing judiciary reforms without citing credible evidence.