DCI Director George Kinoti has been sentenced to four months imprisonment for contempt of court.
Kinoti is required to surrender to the Prison authorities within 7 days failure to which IG of National Police Service will arrest him.
The sentence follows Kinoti’s decision not to return firearms confiscated from businessman and aspiring politician Jimmy Wanjigi.
High Court judge Anthony Kirima directed that the DCI, Inspector General of police, and DPP return firearms and ammunition confiscated from Wanjigi in 2017.
The firearms were one pistol, a Smith and Wesson, a Glock Pistol, one assault rifle among others. Judge Mirima started that it was irrational to take Wanjigi’s guns while he held a valid license.
Kinoti said that Wanjigi is not allowed to hold, possess or own a firearm until the license is reinstated by the firearm licensing board.
Some of the firearms do not belong to Wanjigi and as such, they cannot be released to him as that would be a violation of the firearm act, he said.
Kinoti also argued that he has not violated the court order to warrant his sentencing. Because Wanjigi should pursue the Chief Firearm Licensing Board for his firearms as he is in possession of them.
Wanjigi has expressed his views after the ruling. We are very happy with that ruling of the High court. There’s nobody who’ above the law, the rule of law must be applied equally to every single Kenyan, he said. Adding that those who think that these are the days of impunity should read the Constitution of this country which was passed in 2010.
Judge Mirima has also stated that he had been threatened by some senior state officers for allegedly making unfavorable rulings against the state.