The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji on Sunday, October 30, explained that he was forced to review cases involving high-ranking individuals, including that of Rigathi Gachagua, the then Mathira lawmaker.
In an interview with KTN News, the DPP said they had initially been given evidence by the former Directorate of Criminal Investigations, (DCI) boss George Kinoti only to discover that some of the information had been forged.
"On Deputy President Gachagua's charges, the decision was made on the threshold. We were pushed by DCI himself through the media. We felt there was sufficient evidence to charge but later we discovered the documents were forged," clarified Haji.
This was after the DCI sought to withdraw Gachagua's Ksh7.4 billion graft case on grounds that powerful forces had influenced the case.
According to Haji who enjoys the security of tenure, this was a pattern among other cases brought forward by Kinoti, who resigned immediately after President William Ruto was sworn into office.
" A case was brought against me but the documents were forged and falsified by officers from the DCI's office under his command. We depended on the integrity and professionalism of the office f the DCI but unfortunately, that did not happen."
Haji divulged that the dropping of high-profile cases by his office was mostly out of lack of evidence, after the DCI compromised investigations.
"For Aisha Jumwa's case, we asked for evidence and it has never been availed. We had to then review the case and withdraw it."
For the case of Baby Pendo, the DPP stated, the investigations conducted by the DCI were wanting and that he is planning to involve international entities to help with the case.
"I found the case of baby Pendo and then made the decision that it should go for an inquest because the investigations done by the DCI were wanting. We asked the UN for help because we felt that someone must take responsibility."
Despite being threatened following the drop of the cases, the ODPP has maintained its ground ensuring to work to see the cases brought forward are rightly prosecuted.
Haji, who took over from Keriako Tobiko, has been under fire for seeking to drop charges against high-profile individuals.
Meanwhile, President Ruto trained his eyes on the DCI after his inauguration, vowing to weed out rogue officers who had been used by the state, including the disbanding of the Special Services Unit.
