Jacob Juma inquest yet to begin, 40 days later

The late Jacob Juma appears before a parliamentary committee. The Director of Public Prosecutions is yet to decide whether to conduct a public inquest into the death of the businessman as recommended by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Nicholas Mutuku said the office was still reviewing the file sent to them by Mr Muhoro.
  • Cord leader Raila Odinga said the police did a shoddy investigation straight from the time they went to examine the crime scene.
  • Jacob Juma family had initially declared their intentions to incorporate the US Federal Bureau of Investigations in the investigations.

The Director of Public Prosecutions is yet to decide whether to conduct a public inquest into the death of businessman Jacob Juma as recommended by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro on June 24 sent a file to the office of the DPP recommending the inquest after a month of trying to unravel the mystery surrounding the murder of the businessman in Nairobi one and a half months ago.

On Tuesday, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Nicholas Mutuku said the office was still reviewing the file sent to them by Mr Muhoro.

“We will plan everything once we are done with the reviewing of the file,” Mr Mutuku, who is also the head of the Department of Offences Against the Person, said.

CRITICISE THE GOVERNMENT

There has been a public outcry, especially from politicians, over the pace of the investigations into the death of the businessman, who was also a blogger famously known to criticise the government.

Last week, Cord leader Raila Odinga said the police did a shoddy investigation straight from the time they went to examine the crime scene. Mr Odinga, who led family and friends in marking 40 days since the death of the businessman, said the police did not take the investigations into the murder seriously.

The family had initially declared their intentions to incorporate the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in the investigations.

Mr Juma’s bullet-riddled body was found in his vehicle on Ngong Road on the night of May 5 and, since then, police have not arrested anyone in connection to the murder.