Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho's name was brought up at the Milimani Law Courts during the trial of State House digital strategist Dennis Itumbi as reported by The Standard on Tuesday, January 28.
According to the publication, the Interior PS was a complainant in the case that centred on a letter purporting to bring to light a scheme to assassinate Deputy President William Ruto.
Yvonne Anyango, an investigative officer who appeared before the court, was tasked to explain why the PS's name was dropped as a complainant in the digital strategist's trial where he is facing forgery charges.
Katwa Kigen, Itumbi's lawyer, asked the investigating officer to reveal before the court why the PS's name as a complainant had been dropped.
"The name was dropped because we did not find it necessary anymore,” Anyango was quoted by the publication as having told Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku.
The publication had on June 26, 2019, reported that Kibicho had been named as the convener of a meeting at La Mada Hotel along Thika Road, where an alleged plot to assassinate DP Ruto was discussed.
It was later expected that the PS would appear along three other CSs at the DCI headquarters as suspects, but Kibicho went there as a complainant over what he termed as harassment from DP Ruto rather than the assassination claims.
While addressing the media on July 8, 2019, Kibicho rubbished the allegations, stating that they were baseless and useless. He further informed that the matter was under investigation and there was no formal complaint against him.
"I am very reserved about responding to useless and baseless allegations and because they are under police investigations,” Kibicho stated, further noting that the allegations were entirely from media reports.
“You know I hear of assassination claims. Who has complained? I am yet to hear of someone who has complained. I think it is better to stop creating things that do not exist. The moment you say that we have a claim like that, that is formalised not in barazas, then it is dealt with in accordance with the law,” Kibicho stated.
He went on to add that his ministry would not be distracted from executing its mandate in the light of rumours.
In her testimony, Anyango told the court that Itumbi's phone was in use until the alleged assassination letter emerged. However, investigators could not crack the phone.
When tasked with explaining the origin of the letter, from a pool of the three CSs in question, she stated that the source had not been established.
The three had been summoned by the DCI but refrained from recording any statement until a substantive statement was addressed to them by the complainant.
Itumbi was later arrested on grounds of allegedly authoring the letter that police dismissed as forged.
Itumbi, however, countered the claims, by offering to show before court video and audio exposing the discussions on the alleged plot to assassinate Ruto.
