Fake PPO Probe

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The Fake PPO Probe is an investigation ordered by Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki into claims that an individual named Joshua Waiganjo had for 10 years passed off as a top policeman. He is alleged to have sacked and abused junior officers, and attended top security meetings. [1]

Contents

Arrest

On 4 January 2013 a man Joshua Karianjahi Waiganjo was arrested after allegedly pretending to be an assistant commissioner of police for five years. He was discovered after flying on a police helicopter to investigate the massacre of officers in Baragoi. He was charged with: [2]

Probe Team

The President directed the Inspector General and National Police Service Commission to commence a probe on the incident. Head of Civil Service Francis Kimemia communicated the President’s directive. [3]

Mandate

The National Police Service Commission announced a wider mandate of the probe committee:

Membership

The investigation team members consisted of the following members of the National Police Service Commission: [4]

The committee also included representatives from the Kenya National Human Rights Commission, the Public Service Commission, the Law Society of Kenya and the Attorney-General’s office. These were later confirmed as the following: [5]

Family fights allegations

Waiganjo's family claimed that both former Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere and Rift Valley police boss John M'mbijiwe knew him. The family showed photographs of M'mbijiwe attending the burial of Waiganjo’s grandmother on August 10, 2012 at Njoro public cemetery [6]

Waiganjo Claims

As the probe hearings were underway, Waiganjo claimed in a television interview on 30 January 2013 that he was still receiving threats from senior police officers. He further requested an opportunity to meet Prime Minister Raila Odinga claiming to have sensitive information that has a bearing on the forthcoming General Election. [7] Speaking at a political rally, Odinga indicated that he would meet Waiganjo in a bid to understand the truth about the rot in the police force. [8]

Police response

Rift Valley Provincial Police Officer John M’mbijiwe claimed that Joshua Waiganjo is actually a police reservist in the rank of assistant police commissioner. He indicated that Waiganjo was recruited in 2002 by former Police Commissioner and was introduced to him as the Head of the Kenya Police Reservists Services (KPRS) in Rift Valley when he assumed office. [9] The former Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere however denied having anything to do with Waiganjo. [6]

On 9 January 2013, M’mbijiwe and 2 other officers, Michael Remi Ngugi, the Anti Stock Theft Commandant in Gilgil and the Njoro divisional police chief Peter Njeru Nthiga were suspended over the scandal by the National Police Service Commission. [10] The National Police Service Commission also ordered a headcount of all officers countrywide. [4]

Hearings

It was also confirmed that the hearings would be public. [5] The Commission held its Nairobi hearings at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre after holding initial hearings in Nakuru at the Nakuru Municipal Hall. [11]

Testimonies

Nakuru Hearing

Deputy Commandant of Administration of police, Elsebuys Laikuta testified that they never had an officer by the name of Joshua Waiganjo but that Waiganjo was among officers who boarded the chopper that left for Baragoi after 42 officers were killed. Deputy Police Commissioner Francis Musembi Munyambu, who was previously accused of having introduced Waiganjo to the suspended PPO John M'mbijjiwe denied having met him. Zacheus Kotut, a clinical officer at the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) Dispensary in Gilgil testified that he gave medical treatment to Waiganjo several times at the request of the ASTU Commandant Remy Ngugi. A driver to Remy Ngugi named Joel Motem, also testified that he had driven Waiganjo to Ngugi’s house many times. [11]

Mathew Iteere

During his testimony Former Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere blamed former Rift Valley province police boss John M’Mbijiwe and claimed that he never knew Waiganjo. He indicated that the first time he heard about Waiganjo was after he was mentioned in a report as having accompanied M’Mbijiwe to a high level security meeting to Baragoi before the massacre that took place. Iteere further claimed that M’Mbijiwe informed him that Waiganjo was in charge of the Kenya Police Reservists in the province. This he said “mesmerised” him since the reservist units had been disbanded since 2004 by the then police commissioner Maj. General Mohammed Ali. [12]

Report and Recommendations

The team concluded its work on 31 January 2013 and handed over its findings and recommendation to the National Police Service Commission(NPSC) [13]

The following findings were revealed: [13]

The probe recommendations included: [13] [14]

Former police commissioner Mathew Iteere and Njoro police boss Peter Nthiga were cleared by the probe. Despite recommending Nthiga's reinstatement, the team recommended his transfer to another station. [14]

Reactions

Civil society groups indicated that the scandal would further erode any confidence that the public may have had about the police reforms. They took the position that the report fell far short of what Kenyans were expecting. [15]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Investigate trail of bogus officer, Kibaki orders". Archived from the original on 2013-01-07. Retrieved 2013-01-07.
  2. ↑ "Joshua Waiganjo, Kenyan 'fake policeman', charged". January 4, 2013 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  3. ↑ "Kibaki orders probe into activities of police 'impersonator' » Capital News". January 5, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Police headcount ordered as three top officers suspended - News - nation.co.ke". Archived from the original on 2013-01-09. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
  5. 1 2 3 "Public hearings to be held in imposter saga". Capital FM. 15 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  6. 1 2 "'POLICE BOSSES HELPED FAKE NAKURU COP' | the Star". Archived from the original on 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2013-01-07.
  7. ↑ "Waiganjo tells of past 'sensitive' discussions". Daily Nation. 30 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  8. ↑ "Raila agrees to meet 'fake' cop". Capital FM. 30 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  9. ↑ Kaberia, Judie (January 5, 2013). "Police say Naivasha 'fake' officer is a reservist » Capital News".
  10. ↑ Burrows, Olive (January 8, 2013). "3 top cops suspended over imposter saga » Capital News".
  11. 1 2 "Waiganjo Hearing Moves To Nairobi". Citizen Media. 24 January 2013. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "Iteere denies role in police impostor saga". Daily Nation. 26 January 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Waiganjo's probe team wants Mbijiwe, Ngugi sacked". The Standard. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  14. 1 2 "Waiganjo probe recommends sacking of top officers". Daily Nation. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  15. ↑ "WAIGANJO DECISION A 'COVER - UP'". The Star. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
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