Officer accuses seniors of meddling in Embu Speaker kidnap case

A police officer accused of kidnapping Embu Assembly Speaker Kariuki Mate wants Chief Justice Willy Mutunga to intervene in the case pending at a magistrate’s court.

In a letter to the CJ, Mr Nicholas Muriuki claims his seniors at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters have interfered with the case.

He further wants the senior officers investigated and action taken against them.

“I bring to your attention the unnecessary abuse of the court process by my seniors, the police and office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in their attempts to settle personal differences and vendetta,” says Mr Muriuki.

Mr Muriuki was arrested on May 20, 2014 and charged with abducting Mr Mate at Utalii Hotel.

The DPP recommended that the case be withdrawn for lack of sufficient evidence with the option of bringing it back once more evidence was gathered.

The DPP wanted to withdraw the case under section 87(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The court, however, ruled the application to withdraw the case was an abuse of the prosecutorial powers bestowed upon the DPP’s office.

His lawyers successfully argued against the withdrawal of the case and instead wanted it to be terminated completely.

He has named the senior police officers that he wants investigated over his arrest and prosecution.

“Kindly do make a recommendation to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority or the Internal Affairs unit of the National Police Service, to investigate the (issues) surrounding this case. IPOA and the police refused to act claiming the matter is pending in court,” Mr Muriuki states in the letter.

He blames his woes on family feuds and business rivalries in the letter also copied to Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery.

Mr Muriuki was relieved of his duties at the financial crimes section at the DCI headquarters after his arrest.