Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

Attorney General Kihara Kariuki has suffered a setback in his bid to have the jail sentence of the Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti set aside. Justice Anthony Mrima on Wednesday declined to suspend Kinoti’s four-month prison sentence as requested by the AG. The government’s principal legal advisor wanted the court to suspend the sentence pending hearing and determination of his application. “Given the nature of orders sought and history of the matter, this court is of the view that any orders will be considered after hearing of the application,” ruled Justice Mrima. The judge ordered the AG’s application to…

Attorney General Kihara Kariuki has moved to court to challenge the sentencing of the Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti to four months in prison over contempt. In a petition filed in court, the AG wants Kinoti’s sentence to Kamiti Maximum Security Prison suspended pending the hearing and determination of his application. High Judge Anthony Mrima last Thursday handed Kinoti the jail term for disobeying orders that required him to return firearms confiscated from businessman Jimmy Wanjigi. But the government’s principal legal advisor argues that contempt charges against Kinoti were misdirected because the Firearms Licencing Board is the custodian of…

Four international human rights organizations have urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) to hold a special session on the ongoing human rights crisis in Ethiopia. In a letter, the groups asked the council to establish a robust investigative mechanism to address the matter without further delay. The organizations are Amnesty International, DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project), Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, and Human Rights Watch. The letter cites a joint report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) that…

Suspected robbers who raided an Equity Bank branch in Kisumu earlier today escaped the scene unnoticed, police have confirmed. Nyanza Regional Commissioner Magu Mutindika told members of the press that the robbers believed to have been four in number disguised as clients when all the bank’s staff and clients were evacuated. They all escaped despite heavy police presence at the scene in the foiled robbery. Police believe the thugs changed clothes before exiting through the front door with the bank staff and clients. “We have in our possession a man’s shirt. We suspect that the robbers had a change of clothes…

Amnesty International has criticized a recent declaration by the Kenyan government to deny unvaccinated citizens essential services. Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi on Sunday urged Kenyans to ensure that they are fully vaccinated before December 21 after which they would be locked out of in-person government services. The services include Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Education, National Transport Service Authority (NTSA), Immigration, hospital and prison visitations and port services among others. But in a statement to newsrooms, Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton urged authorities to abandon the coercive measures and instead accelerate effective education programmes to address misinformation hampering vaccine…

Laikipia Woman Representative Cate Waruguru has officially joined Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ahead of the 2022 General Election. The country’s second in command welcomed Waruguru to UDA at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi, on Tuesday, November 23. In photos shared online, the DP can be seen helping Waruguru don a UDA cap, a symbol of her defection from the ruling Jubilee party. Read: LSK President Nelson Havi Dumps ANC for DP Ruto’s UDA Waruguru was accompanied to Ruto’s residence by women leaders including Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, Kiambu Woman Rep Gathoni Wa Muchomba, Nakuru…

A court has gagged former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko from further exposing his former lawyers in a series of videos he has been leaking on social media. The lawyers, Cecil Miller and George Kithi, on Monday, got orders restraining Sonko from publishing anything relating to them pending hearing and determination of their petition. Also gagged is Justice Said Chitembwe’s alleged brother Amana Said Jirani. In the case filed at the Milimani Chief Magistrate Court, Jirani is listed as the second respondent alongside the former county chief. “I have just gotten to my residence after a long day of tying…

Lawyer Miguna Miguna has accused Kenyan authorities of disobeying latest court orders regarding his travel home. Earlier today, the High Court gave Miguna 72 hours to obtain an emergency travel document to facilitate his travel back to Kenya. Justice Hedwig Ong’undi directed the Canada-based barrister to obtain the document from the Kenyan High Commission in Ottawa Canada or Berlin Germany. In an update, Miguna, who is stuck in Berlin, said he visited the Kenyan embassy as directed by the court but the officials refused to comply with the orders. Read: Kenyans in the Diaspora to Sue Air France, Gov’t Over…

Six Kamiti Maximum Security Prison warders suspected of aiding three terror convicts escape custody have been detained for eight more days pending investigations. The warders include Commandant Charles Mutembei Gerrard and his deputy Joseph Longarianyang. Others are Pamela Cherubet, Peter Thuku, Lilian Mukasia and Nicholas Otieno who were responsible for manning CCTV cameras and the watchtowers on the night of November 14 when the trio escaped. The suspects, who spent the weekend in custody, appeared before the Kahawa Law Courts where police were allowed to hold them longer to conclude investigations into the incident. Read: Police To Hide Identity of Recipients…

A robbery suspect has allegedly committed suicide at Nyatieko Police Station in Kisii County. David Ondari Nyamweya, 24, was arrested on Friday for allegedly stealing a motorbike, registration number KMFV 762G, valued at Sh124,000. Police reports indicate that the deceased took his own life using a belt he was wearing. “It was reported by Lucy Njeri Kimani and Emmanuel Koech both of this command that while on report office and cell duties respectively made a cell visit and upon checking on one prisoner David Ondari who was in custody they found out that he had committed suicide using a belt,”…

Amid growing concerns about the safety of products sold in the country, Dagoretti South Member of Parliament John Kiarie has petitioned the House to probe goods seized by various government agencies. In a letter to Speaker Justin Muturi, the legislator wants full disclosure on sugar, oil and fertilizer products seized by authorities over failure to meet set standards. Notably, the sugar seized in 2018 by multi-agency teams comprising of officers from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Bureau of Standards and Public Health was found to contain mercury and other heavy metals. Claims of mercury contamination were first made by…

The National Police Service has finally broken its silence on honoring its pledge of awarding members of the public who assisted the government to recapture three terror convicts in Kitui County. The government had put Sh20 million bounty on each head of the three inmates who escaped from Kamiti Maximum Security Prison a week ago. In a statement to newsrooms on Sunday night, Police Spokesperson Bruno Shioso said the government intends to pay the Sh60 million to deserving members of the public. “The Government acknowledges that the rearrests of the suspects was made possible with the support from members of…

Police have launched a probe into the death of a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) journalist at a Nairobi hotel. Kate Mitchelle, who was in charge of BBC Media Action’s Senior Projects in Ethiopia, was found dead in her hotel room on Friday, November 19. Nairobi Police boss Augustine Thumbi said on Sunday that investigations are ongoing to determine Mitchelle’s cause of death. Preliminary investigations, however, indicate the journalist may have been strangled to death by a man she had been with earlier at the hotel. Apparently, Mitchelle had an argument with the man that later escalated into an altercation. Read:…

The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti has disowned a petition purportedly filed by his legal team seeking to block his imminent arrest for contempt. In the petition that was highlighted by a section of the media on Saturday, Owino McDowell & Co Advocates argue that Kinoti wants the court to suspend implementation of the orders issued by Justice Anthony Mrima on Thursday. The judge handed Kinoti a four-month jail term for disobeying orders that required him to return firearms confiscated from businessman Jimmy Wanjigi. Justice Mrima ordered Kinoti be jailed at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison. The judge directed Kinoti…

The government has enhanced security of High Court Judge Anthony Mrima following recent claims that his life is in danger. Head of Judiciary Police Unit Lazarus Opicho confirmed on Sunday that he has contacted Justice Mrima over the threats and enhanced his security. “Due to the foregoing, I have been in touch with the Judge and enhanced his security,” Opicho said. Further, the police boss asked the judge to file a formal complaint to help security teams investigate the matter. “The security of Judges and Judicial Officers is of utmost priority to the Judiciary. Because of this centrality, and in…