KENYA’S DIRECTOR OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS ISSUES STERN DIRECTIVE

The Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) has issued a directive to all detectives and county police divisions in Kenya to further investigate unsolved murders and robberies, and ordered that all shootings must be reported to the National Police Service Headquarters.

Many crimes in Kenya go unreported, many serious crimes go unsolved and there has long been concern about allegations of widespread cover ups by crooked detectives.

Even where cases get to court many are thrown out as the result of failure to follow the proper procedures and generally shoddy investigations.

INVESTIGATIONS TO BE FAST TRACKED

From now own, if the directive is adhered to, all County Criminal Investigation Officers (CCIOs) and Divisional Criminal Investigation Officers (DCIOs) will be expected to explain what measures they are implementing to speed up investigations and will be held directly accountable for all robberies taking place in their areas.

Detectives at county and divisional level will also be held accountable if a case is not taken to court within six weeks of it being reported and will have to explain why no judicial action has begun.

KINOTI A NEW BROOM CLEANING UP CRIME AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS?

The directive comes from George Kinoti who took over as the Director of Criminal Investigations from Ndegwa Muhuro in January. Mr Kinoti came to his new job with a reputation as a tough but fair police chief and a track record of cracking down on criminal gangs in Nairobi.

The heads of investigations at regional headquarters (formerly provinces) will now have to submit weekly updates of all serious crimes occurring in their area and the progress made apprehending and convicting the culprits.

CCIO’s and DCIOs who are discovered not to have followed the directive “will face serious administrative action”, the statement read.

It is to be hoped that the arrival of Mr Kinoti as the DCI marks a decisive change in how criminal investigations are conducted in Kenya that will result in more criminals facing justice.