Police reforms chief stuns panel

The head of police reforms Jonathan Koskei (left) confers with former Internal Security assistant minister the late Orwa Ojode in this file photo. The panel vetting senior police officers Wednesday learnt that Mr Koskei was not aware of basic police reforms, including medical cover, as police officers and the public wrote to the commission saying he was not fit to hold the post.

What you need to know:

  • It was alleged that he had irregularly dismissed eight constables and a district criminal investigations officer in October 2004. The nine were later reinstated upon appeal.

Director of Police Reforms Jonathan Koskei is not aware of some of the latest changes in the Service.

The panel vetting senior police officers Wednesday learnt that Mr Koskei was not aware of basic police reforms, including medical cover, as police officers and the public wrote to the commission saying he was not fit to hold the post.

The director was also accused of having sacked 15 officers, including two assistant commissioners of police, during his tenure as a provincial police boss.

It was alleged that he had irregularly dismissed eight constables and a district criminal investigations officer in October 2004. The nine were later reinstated upon appeal.

The officer also demoted a chief inspector in Western Province and allegedly blocked his attempts to appeal. The inspector was later dismissed. “I am not aware of the appeal. I think the officer was transferred and later removed,” Mr Koskei said.

Panel chairman Johnston Kavuludi appeared not convinced and directed the recovery of the file. “The study of your file shows that there was immense correspondence,” he said and directed the secretariat to make the file available to the officer to enable Mr Koskei to respond fairly to the complaints levelled against him.

“These allegations paint you as a very callous officer, quite different from what we see,” Mr Kavuludi added.

Mr Koskei was asked to explain why he usually received cash from individuals, but he maintained that he was given by customers.

He, for example, received Sh900,000 from athlete Rudisha David, who is also a police officer. Mr Kavuludi wondered why police officer Rudisha had to bank cash in Koskei’s account.