Nine sent home over Garissa terror attack

What you need to know:

  • Heads roll over campus terror.
  • Investigations now show officers failed to prevent attack that killed 148 people at university.

Nine top Garissa security officers have been interdicted after investigations showed they failed to prevent the April 2 terrorist attack and also bungled the rescue operation.

Regional Coordinator Ernest Munyi, Garissa County Commissioner Njenga Miiri and seven senior police officers were on Tuesday sent home over the attack that claimed 148 lives.

A second investigation was also launched to establish their criminal culpability.

THOROUGH PROBE

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery said a preliminary inquiry was carried out by a team from his office and another from the Inspector-General.

“After perusing the reports of the two teams, I am convinced of the need for a thorough investigation into the attack to establish possible criminal culpability of individual officers or the relevant security committees,” he said.

Mr Nkaissery said to pave the way for an independent investigation, he had interdicted Mr Munyi and Mr Miiri.

The minister directed Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet to interdict the region’s AP commander, Christopher Muthee, CID boss Musa Yego, County Commander Charles Wambugu and police chief Benjamin Ongombe.

Mr Ongombe is said to have withdrawn a metal detector from the Tana Bridge without consulting the sub-county security committee.

The departments headed by Mr Yego and Anti-Terror Police Unit boss Nicholas Mutuku were found to be riddled with corruption and that the two failed to tame it.

Also to be interdicted are Sub-County Commander John Cheruiyot Sawe, Chief Inspector Kimanzi and Garissa Police Station deputy OCS Charles Ayoro.

Mr Nkaissery justified his flying to Garissa on the day of the attack.

“The chopper can only carry four people and I needed to be there,” he said.

The probe revealed that most senior officials were not in the county despite reports that the place was likely to be hit.

The university college was a likely target since it was mainly frequented by non-muslim population.

BRAVERY MEDALS

The police boss has also been directed to award the entire Recce squad team and four officers who were guarding the four officers who were guarding the college.

The four officers have been identified as AP Constables Hassan Kuli Hassan and Nicholas Mutai, and Kenya Police Constables Wycliffe Chepkonga and Reuben Khaemba.

Also to be awarded are two officers who were injured identified as AP Sergeant Mohamed Juma and AP Constable Musa Naftali, and also the two officers who died during the attack.