Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji has escalated his supremacy battle against Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti by insinuating that they were not on the same level.
DPP Haji disparages DCI Kinoti in latest public spat
DPP Noordin Haji has said that DCI Kinoti is not on his level and his junior officers are the ones who interact with him
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Speaking during a media event on Wednesday June 20, Haji said that he only deals with Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, leaving his junior officers to consult with DCI Kinoti.
He was answering questions on the status of his relationship with the director of criminal investigations.
“My relationship is with the IG, who is in charge of the police service and to whom I give instructions. DCI is an officer under the IG. As such, my relationship should be gauged with the IG,” the DPP said.
“I have quite a number of deputy directors who are at the same level with him. You can ask my deputy director in charge of corruption, there is another one in the homicides department. Those are the people he should be dealing with,” he added.
The DPP has the authority to order the IG to look into any information or accusation of criminal behaviour according to Article 157(4) of the Constitution.
Haji and Kinoti have been engaged in a supremacy battle that has resulted in court delays, as well as bungled cases.
In April 2020, the beef caused embarrassment in court after former KPA Managing Director Daniel Manduku was arrested and presented to court but the ODPP refused to charge him.
Principal Magistrate Kennedy Cheruiyot freed Manduku after the investigating officer produced a charge sheet authorized by the DCI but which was disowned in court by the DPP's office.
The incident led to a rare public interview where Kinoti decried that his officers had been frustrated and humiliated in the war against graft.
"My officers are now getting frustrated daily. They spend a lot of time investigating crime, risking their lives — and even after getting all the evidence required to prosecute cases, they are reduced to carrying files.
“It is important for Kenyans to know that my officers have done their level best. They feel betrayed. My worry is when suspects tell my officers ‘you are going nowhere’ and then it comes to pass,” Kinoti stated.
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