Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

top

Kenya

Police say Naivasha ‘fake’ officer is a reservist

The suspect faced robbery charges he is accused of having committed jointly with others while impersonating a police officer. PHOTO/Courtesy.

The suspect faced robbery charges he is accused of having committed jointly with others while impersonating a police officer. PHOTO/Courtesy.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 5 – The Police force on Saturday admitted that Joshua Waiganjo who was arrested for impersonating a senior police officer in Rift Valley is actually a police reservist in the rank of assistant police commissioner.

Rift Valley Provincial Police Officer John M’mbijiwe explained that Waiganjo was recruited in 2002 by former Police Commissioner and was introduced to him as the Head of the Kenya Police Reservists Services (KPRS) in Rift Valley when he assumed office.

“I took over this command six months ago from Munyambu, DCP former PPO who introduced Waiganjo to me as head of KPRS Rift Valley having been appointed by the commissioner of police as the appointing authority. Waiganjo is a police reservist holding the rank of assistant commissioner of police,” he asserted.

He further admitted that Waiganjo accompanied senior police officers to Baragoi but in his capacity as a police reservist.

However he dismissed allegations that Waiganjo was attending high level security meetings: “No time has Waiganjo ever attended any other security meeting other than the one referred to in Baragoi which was essentially a fact finding mission.”

M’mbijiwe said Waiganjo’s actions in which he was alleged to have sacked police officers to be out of order as he had no authority to do so.

The Rift Valley Police boss maintained that any police officers involved in such criminal activities will face the full force of the law as per the Police Service.

He defended the country’s police leadership saying it also disapproved Waiganjo’s insincerity and pledged that investigations will be conducted thoroughly to uncover his actions and his true identity in the police force.

“The entire police leadership in this command has absolutely nothing to do with the alleged criminal activity or otherwise with this officer and in order to not to prejudice investigations currently in progress we will not comment further,” M’mbijiwe said.

On Friday Waignajo’s family said he was recruited into the force by former Police Commissioner, Mathew Iteere whom they said was his close friend.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

The family also said Waiganjo could only take orders from M’mbijiwe.

Waiganjo left the police force and worked as a tout using a family matatu before being re-absorbed into the force as a senior superintendent of police and was posted to the Nakuru PPO’s office in 2009 when Iteere took over.

Waiganjo’s discovery sparked public concerns over the security situation in the country especially allegations that he was impersonating a senior police officer.

About The Author

Comments
Advertisement

More on Capital News