Officer wants claims investigated

The Administration Police Training College (APTC) Commandant, Mr Omar Shurie, asked the Police Service Commission to investigate and take action against any officer who deliberately gave false information against the candidates.

Mr Shurie was the first to be interviewed for the position of deputy Inspector General of police in charge of the AP. He said that it was an offence for any officer to knowingly make false accusations against colleagues or any other person.

The commission has been conducting interviews in public and had requested the members to submit any information, which they believed had a bearing on the suitability of the candidates.

The same was echoed by CID boss Ndegwa Muhoro who, on Wednesday, said that any institution that routinely failed to take stern action on discovering that its officers had committed acts of indiscipline would eventually lose its credibility.

The vice-chairperson of the commission, Ms Esther Chui-Colombini, concurred and said they would investigate the matter.

Mr Shurie said that there was need to properly train the officers to be professional and those involved in military operations be well trained and equipped.

“I want Kenyans to remember me for reforming the Administration Police Service through proper training and discipline,” he said.

Some members of the public and other serving police officers and written to the commission claiming that Mr Shurie was a rude and arrogant man who favoured his tribesmen, but he dismissed the allegations as unfounded. “Even at the college where I am the commandant, there is no senior officer from my community,” he said.

The commandant said that as the head of training, he took discipline seriously and that may have been the reason behind the allegations.

The commission also interviewed Ms Zipporah Mboroki and Mr Dalmas Otieno. Ms Mboroki said that she would push for research and training to improve the service while Mr Otieno said that his first priority would be to restore the service’s reputation.

Last to be interviewed was Ms Margaret Karanja Nyambura, who is based at Harambee House, Nairobi.

Ms Karanja, a pioneer AP advocate said her priority would be training.

On Friday, acting AP Commandant Samwel Mwongera Arachi, Eusebius Laibuta, deputy CID boss Gideon Muoki Kimilu, and Fred Mbithi will be interviewed.

The interviews are scheduled to end tomorrow with Mr David Karungu Ngori and Alexander Mr Kyenze Munyao facing the panel.