DCI George Kinoti's prison sentence takes new twist after Attorney General's intervention

The sentencing of Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti has taken a new twist after Attorney General Kihara Kariuki rushed to court seeking a suspension of the order.

DCI Kinoti had been ordered to present himself to Kamiti Maximum Security Prison over contempt of court in a case involving guns belonging to businessman Jimi Wanjgi.

However, AG Kihara failed to convince the courts to suspend the sentencing on Wednesday, November as the deadline approaches.

Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki (Twitter) Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki (Twitter) Pulse Live Kenya

The Attorney General's application will now be heard on Thursday, November 25, 2021.

Kihara argued that the contempt of court matter was brought against DCI Kinoti yet he was not at liberty to release the said firearms

He explained that the mandate of releasing Wanjigi’s guns rests with the Kenya Firearms licensing Board.

The DCI also said that he had asked the AG to advise the firearms board to return the rifles to the businessman.

"The office of the AG has also written to Jimi Wanjigi and Irene Nzisa to go and collect the firearms. They have not for reasons known to themselves," he said.

Kinoti was sentenced to 4 months in prison and given seven days to surrender to the officer in charge of Kamiti Prison.

He was found guilty of refusing to return firearms confiscated from Jimmy Wanjigi.

In 2017, Wanjigi's residence was raided by DCI officers and seven firearms were seized.

However, in 2019, the High Court ruled ordered that the guns should be returned to the businessman.

The guns were never returned to the entrepreneur. The court issued further orders to the DCI in February 2021 to assure that Wanjigi would get his firearms back, but the instructions were disregarded.