The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Wednesday, September 14 dismissed reports that seven senior officers were forced to resign under unclear circumstances.
In a statement, the George Kinoti led agency, confirmed that the said officers were no longer on their payroll but refuted reports that they had been coerced to exit the service.
DCI's clarification came in the wake of claims making rounds on social media that some police officers linked to pre-election happenings had been fired.
"The officers reported to have resigned did so under the 24-hour rule on diverse dates last month and were not forced to leave.
"The detectives who were based at different specialized units within the Directorate left to pursue their careers in the private sector as financial investigators, fraud experts, IT specialists among others," the statement read in part.
Furthermore, it divulged that any of its members were at liberty to leave the special unit under the National Police Service (NPS) provided that they followed the procedures set up by the service.
"The DCI clarifies that like in any other progressive institution, the resignation of staff to pursue other interests in life is well provided for in the National Police Service, under the NPS Service Standing Orders (SSO)," the agency noted.
The reports linking the resignation of the DCI sleuths to pre-poll arrests that were popularly known as kamata kamata Friday, went viral barely a day after President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua was sworn in and months after a judgement was delivered on a graft case involving the former Mathira Member of Parliament.
While issuing a ruling on July 28, Justice Esther Maina of the Anti-Corruption Court ordered the former lawmaker to forfeit Ksh202 million frozen in his accounts to the government.
Maina pointed out that the accused had failed to prove how he amassed the money, which was seen by the state as proceeds of graft.
"The court finds that the funds are liable to forfeiture as the Assets Recovery Authority (ARA) has discharged its burden of proof that the funds were received by Gachagua," Justice Maina ruled.
However, through his lawyers, the now country's second in command vowed to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal. He accused the judge of being partisan and not allowing him to argue his case.
Gachagua previously narrated how the officers handling the investigations embarrassed him in front of his family and staff while arresting him in 2021. While addressing the nation after the verdict of the petition, he stated that he had moved on..
"Let bygones be bygones and all those who were against us, we invite them to build this country together. We have nothing against anybody," he stated.
His sentiments were reiterated by President Ruto, who during his inaugural speech, reiterated that the police had been used to settle political scores. According to the country's Head of State, the police service had been compromised due to its link to the office of the President.
Consequently, he issued an executive order to release the financing of the National Police Service from his jurisdiction.
"I have instructed that the instrument conferring financial autonomy to the NPS by transferring their budget from the Office of the President and designating the Inspector-General as the accounting officer, be placed on my desk for signature," he concluded.
On Wednesday, September 14, the National Police Service, NPS, released a statement, commending lauding all police officers for "commendable service delivery during the just concluded election."
