Last month, a detective based at the DCI sensationally alleged that he was pressured to arrest and charge DP Rigathi Gachagua with financial-related fraud.
In an explosive affidavit sworn, Kuriah Obadia, the superintendent of police said he was pushed by former DCI boss George Kinoti to recommend fake charges against the then Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua.
“On April 15, 2020, the DCI received a letter from the Financial Reporting Centre making allegations of criminal conduct against the accused person (Rigathi Gachagua) imputing embezzlement of funds from the National Irrigation Board and other entities,” Obadiah stated.
This saw the Mt Kenya businessman-cum politician Riggy G charged with acquiring more than KSh 7.3 billion suspected to be proceeds of crime.
As such, the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has rewarded Obadia who was the leader of the investigation team formed to pursue the politician.
Obadiah, who was the head of the Serious Crime Unit based at the DCI’s Kiambu Road headquarters, was on Tuesday, November 1, promoted to head the DCI department in Turkana County in the latest reshuffles.
In his affidavit on October 19, Obadiah asked the court to drop DP Rigathi Gachagua’s case under Section 87 (a) of the Criminal Procedure Code citing a lack of sufficient evidence to prosecute the second in command.
“There are crucial areas of investigations that were not adequately covered in the course of our investigations that would shed some light in determining the culpability or otherwise of the accused persons charged,” his affidavit read in part.
Gachagua had earlier claimed that he was being persecuted for not supporting the March 2018 ‘Handshake’ between President Uhuru Kenyatta and then-opposition chief Raila Odinga.
“Our government decided along the way to use our criminal justice system to stifle dissent and force people to follow what the president wants,
“When I was intimidated to support the handshake and I refused, the criminal justice system was used against me and everybody knows,” Gachagua said.
