Boinnet questions integrity of officers handling accident case

The fatal accident involving a well-known TV evangelist took a new twist on Thursday after Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet questioned the integrity of officers who handled the case.

He ordered that they be investigated, then dismissed and prosecuted if it is established they wrote a false report to exonerate Neno Evangelism preacher James Maina Ng’ang’a.

Ms Mercy Njeri died in the Sunday accident after the vehicle she was travelling in collided with another at Manguo in Limuru.

“In response to the mass of information provided by members of the public to the media that suggested the information given by the traffic police officers at Tigoni may not be entirely correct. I dispatched a team to the scene to verify the same,” said Mr Boinnet in a statement.

Officers from the station were the first at the scene of accident.

The police boss said: “In the event it is established that the officers conspired to defeat justice or compound a felony, drastic disciplinary action will be taken that could include dismissal from the National Police Service.”

The disputed police report show that the pastor was not driving the Range Rover before colliding with another vehicle, a Nissan.

The preliminary police report also denied that it was also using the wrong side of the road.

But emerging reports have suggested otherwise and pastor Ng’ang’a may find himself in the dock.

On Monday, police presented Mr Simon Kuria in court, identified him as the driver of the Range Rover and charged him.

He did not take pleas and was released on Sh100,000 bond.

Ms Njeri’s husband Martin Mbugua, who was driving the Nissan survived with serious injuries.

“I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the late Mercy Njeri. I wish Mr Mbugua a quick recovery,” said Mr Boinnet.

The preliminary report left the police boss apparently embarrassed when he posted on his official Twitter account, exonerating the pastor.

The tweets said the accident involved Range Rover KCD 060V and Nissan KBZ 709W.

He added: “The KBZ 709W was driven by Martin Mbugwa Ndungu and the Range Rover was driven by Simon Maina Kuria. The wife of Nissan driver, who was a passenger, unfortunately succumbed to injuries and passed on.”

The Range Rover was inspected, and released. The driver will appear in the Limuru Senior Magistrates Court. He's on 20K cash bail.

The Range Rover was on General Dealers (KG) licence with valid insurance and was on test drive when the accident occurred.”

Then the National Police Service official account added: “The owner of the Range Rover is Francis Ng'ang'a Mundia and Not Pastor Ng'ang'a.”

According to Kenya Revenue Authority the Range Rover belongs to Mr Alexander Kamweru Njenga.

Mr Mundia owns a car bazaar on Valley Road and Prestige World Motors Ltd on Ngong Road.

Preliminary investigations showed that Pastor Nganga was travelling from Naivasha to Nairobi in the vehicle, followed by another Toyota Prado.

Pastor Nganga maintained that the vehicle belonged to another Mr Nganga, a car dealer based on Valley Road.

He however did not say how he knew about the accident and the car owner’s details.

Mr Boinnet added: “I wish to inform the public that the objective of the IG’s social media account is to freely interact for purposes of sharing information, informing and advising on issues pertaining to safety and security of Kenyans.”