NAIROBI Kenya Nov 30 – A Human Rights Activist has moved to court seeking to compel the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to arrest businessman Jimi Wanjigi for illegal possession of firearms.
Memba Ocharo petitioned the High Court Tuesday to arrest Wanjigi on the grounds of being in possession of firearms without a license, stating that he posed a risk to the safety of individuals.
“A judicial review order does hereby issue compelling the Inspector General of Police and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to immediately arrest and take appropriate action as against the interested party herein for being in possession of illegal firearms and ammunitions contrary to his firearms certificate as per its findings and consequently cause the prosecution of the interested party in a court with the relevant territorial jurisdiction cognizance of this court’s decision in Judicial Review Miscellaneous Application no.84 of 2018 Republic versus Inspector General of Police and 2 others Exparte Jimi Richard Wanjigi,” read the petition submitted to court.
The Inspector General of Police, DCI, Firearms and Licensing board were listed as the respondents in the application while Wanjigi is an interested party.
The petition was filed amid raging debate on a recent sentencing of DCI boss George Kinoti for four months for failing to heed to a court order to give Wanjigi his guns that were confiscated by police during a raid in his house in 2017.
The firearms included one pistol, a Smith and Wesson, one Glock pistol, one assault rifle among others.
Kinoti is yet to be arrested or present himself to Kamiti Maximum Prison as ordered by court in what has sparked mixed reactions from the public.
Ocharo further argued that Wanjigi’s conduct has previously been questioned hence he should not be allowed to possess the firearms.
He added that Wanjigi was a former Inspector of Police and was stripped of all his police powers and ordered to surrender all his firearms and ammunition in his custody following numerous incidences and complaints about his misuse of firearms.
“That the release of the said firearms and ammunitions to the Interested party while sanctioned by the law and court orders and in the absence of any action by the Respondent’s possess a grave danger and risk to the members of the public as no one citizen should have in their custody 688 ammunitions and about 11 guns…. the public may be susceptible to danger that is obviously posed by the yielding of illegal though arguably licensed firearms and ammunitions,” the petition read.
The application is set to be heard on November 3 and the High Court to deliver their judgement.
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