Airwing chiefs grilled over corruption claims

The team formed to investigate allegations of misuse of police aircrafts and corruption in the procurement of parts Thursday grilled the airwing’s director and his deputy.

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Administration Police and Kenya Police Service Thursday questioned the National Police Service Airwing Director John Ochieng and his deputy, Mr Rogers Mbithi.

According to sources, Mr Ochieng was questioned about the general operations at the airport and the reporting structures.

The investigations were ordered by the Inspector- General of Police Joseph Boinnet to establish whether it was right for Mr Mbithi to release the aircraft without informing the director two hours after being notified of the Garissa University College attack.

CLEAR REPORTING STRUCTURE

The raid was reported to the police around 5.30am and at 7.30am, Mr Mbithi released the aircraft to go to Mombasa on an instruction flight.

Although Mr Ochieng, a Senior Assistant Inspector- General, was appointed as the director last year and Mr Mbithi his deputy, there has never been a clear reporting structure.

The latter has maintained that he only reports to the Deputy Inspector-General in charge of the Kenya Police, Grace Kaindi. Their appointment was aimed at improving the performance, operational capability and viability of the unit, but this has not been possible due to turf wars.

The detectives carrying out the investigations are deputy DCI director Gideon Kimilu, the officer in charge of reforms at police headquarters Alice Naliaka, APs Joseph Onsondo, the officer in charge of inspections at Vigilance House Stephen Chelimo and Mr Kinoti Narangwi.

Another investigation has also been launched on the procurement of aircraft parts, maintenance and the training of pilots, as well as on reports that the airplanes are used in training civilians.