The Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss George Kinoti has been given 30 days to return businessman Jimmy Wanjigi’s firearms. – By John Mutiso.
High Court Judge Anthony Mrima on Thursday said the DCI has only until March 25 to comply with orders he issued in 2019.
Police had, in October 2017, recovered seven firearms in his house in Muthaiga an pressed eleven charges against the businessman.The police seized four Glock pistols, one Smith and Wesson pistol, a Mini Archer assault rifle fitted with a laser, an M4CQ assault rifle and 646 bullets.
Mrima who issued the directive said the State acted irrationally by taking Wanjigi’s guns while he still held a valid license. Wanjigi has since filed a contempt of court proceedings against the DCI for failing to comply with the judge’s orders and wants them committed to civil jail.
However, the DCI said that he had made an appeal following the June 2019 ruling, where court granted Wanjigi permission to take back his guns and the matter is still pending in the Court of Appeal.
The police are also seeking to find out how the businessman was able to renew his firearms certificate after he was disarmed.In an affidavit, the DCI claims that some of the firearms held by Wanjigi are high precision military firearms not authorised to be held by civilians in Kenya under the Firearms Act.
“The firearms were subjected to ballistic examination and a report confirmed the Firearms Act prohibits them,” the affidavit read.
The case will be mentioned on March 25 to ascertain whether Kinoti has complied with the orders of the court.
