Police ordered to probe claims on Raila life
The Director of Public Prosecutions has ordered the police to investigate an alleged plot to assassinate Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Mr Keriako Tobiko further directed that government chief whip Jakoyo Midiwo, who made the claim, be questioned alongside other persons he mentioned as being privy to the conspiracy.
“The gravity and magnitude of the allegations, particularly during this period when the country is preparing for the next General Election, cannot be overemphasised. These allegations therefore require a prompt, thorough and speedy investigation to establish their veracity or otherwise,” the DPP said in a letter to Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere.
Police began investigating the matter on Saturday, hours after the MP made the remarks while addressing mourners in Bondo. A Bondo Police Station officer was instructed to summon Mr Midiwo and record his statement.
The MP, however, left the station without recording the statement. He informed the officers there that he intended to formally file the claims at the CID headquarters in Nairobi.
Mr Tobiko said the police findings should be submitted to him “without delay for appropriate orders and directions.”
Going by the DPP’s directive, the police would also summon Foreign Affairs minister Sam Ongeri and other unnamed officials that Mr Midiwo linked to the alleged plot.
Mr Tobiko’s letter was labelled “very urgent” and copied to CID director Ndegwa Muhoro.
Speaking to the Nation earlier, Mr Midiwo said police visited his rural home in Gem Akala on Sunday intending to arrest him.
Speaking on phone, he said: “They found my home manager Gilbert Onyuka and insisted that he should tell them of my whereabouts.”
Mr Onyuka said that he last saw the MP in Akala on Saturday evening before the police raid.
However, Nyanza provincial police boss Njue Njagi denied that police officers were at Mr Midiwo’s home to arrest him.
Record statement
“I am not aware of any such incident, I don’t even know the whereabouts of the MP,” said the PPO.
However, the Nation has pictures taken on Sunday of policemen outside the home. The PPO confirmed that the MP is scheduled to record a statement in Nairobi on Tuesday.
On Monday, Nyanza MPs allied to ODM criticised what they termed police harassment of Mr Midiwo over the assassination claims.
The MPs said that instead of harassing the Gem lawmaker, the police should use the information he gave to conduct effective investigations.
“The police should use the information he gave to unravel details of the planned assassination,” said Prof Ayiecho Olweny, the Muhoroni MP.
Nyakach MP Pollyns Ochieng said Mr Midiwo “is ready to divulge as many details as required”.
Kisumu East MP Shakeel Shabir said that this is not the first time the PM has had threats on his life, adding that the police should take the allegations seriously.
On Sunday, Foreign Affairs minister Prof Sam Ongeri dismissed claims that he was among those allegedly plotting to assassinate Mr Odinga.
On Saturday, Mr Midiwo alleged that a meeting was held last Sunday which brought together two ministers, a senior security officer and a permanent secretary during which elimination of Mr Odinga was discussed.
Mr Midiwo claimed that mercenaries had been hired to execute the plot.
Reported by Fred Mukinda, Lilian Ochieng’ and Abiud Ochieng’
