The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Renson Ingonga, on Monday, July 1, ordered the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to commence an investigation into individuals involved in the vandalism of private and public property.
In a brief statement, Ingonga instructed detectives to forward the resultant inquiry files for further action upon completing the investigations.
The DPP noted that the call for a probe stemmed from the loss of lives, and the destruction and vandalism of private and public property witnessed, particularly on June 25.
“Any individual found culpable will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” read part of the statement by the ODPP.
Ingonga went ahead to warn Kenyans planning to invade and destroy property including critical government infrastructure such as parliament and the county offices to desist from such acts.
According to Ingonga, such actions of hooliganism would be met with the fullest force of the law.
The DPP clarified that the right to assemble, demonstrate and picket was not absolute and was limited to protecting lives and property.
"Any person involved in such assembly, demonstration or picketing must be peaceful and unarmed. The right does not extend to propaganda or war," the DPP stated.
“Further, any future acts of violence leading to loss of lives, or destruction of private and public property, more so critical infrastructure including Parliament, Judiciary, National and County Government facilities shall be met with the fullest force of the law.”
Ingonga's directive comes hours after detectives from DCI unveiled the faces of alleged looters during the recent demonstrations.
The DCI detectives stated they had launched investigations into looters who took advantage of the protests last week and that stern action would be taken against those found culpable.
"As a criminal investigative agency, it squarely falls within the mandate of the DCI to investigate and bring to book any persons involved in such outright criminality," the DCI detectives noted.
"Whereas some have already been arrested and arraigned in various courts today, more are still out there on the streets waiting for other opportune times to strike again."
