A Kenyan High Court on Tuesday issued a warrant of arrest against Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti for contempt of court.
The court ordered Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai to have Kinoti arrested and presented in court to face contempt of court charges.
The order reads in part, “Whereas Mr George Maingi Kinoti has this day been charged before this court for contempt of court order pursuant to an order issued by Hon. Justice Mwita on the 21st June 2019.”
“Therefore you are hereby commanded to apprehend the said Mr. George Maingi Kinoti and to bring him before this court to answer to the said charge and to be further dealt with according to law.”
Kinoti is accused of failing to return seven firearms to businessman Jimi Wanjigi as had been ordered by the court. In November, Kinoti was sentenced to four months in prison for contempt of court after failing to comply with court orders to return firearms seized from Wanjigi.
He had been directed to surrender to Kamiti Maximum Prison within seven days, failing which the Director of Public Prosecutions was to issue an arrest warrant against him.
Attorney General Kihara Kariuki has since filed an application with the High Court, asking for Kinoti’s sentence at the Kamiti Maximum Prison to be suspended pending the hearing and decision of his petition.
Justice Anthony Mrima had given Kinoti seven days to surrender himself to the officer in charge of Kamiti Maximum Security Prison to serve the sentence. The seven days lapsed on November 26.
The guns drama started on October 16, 2017, when police raided Wanjigi’s house in Muthaiga. Kinoti was not the DCI then as he assumed the position in 2018.
This was 10 days before the repeat presidential election and Wanjigi claims the raid was political.
During the operation, the police took four Glock pistols, one Smith & Wesson pistol, a Mini Archer assault rifle fitted with a laser, an M4CQ assault rifle and 688 bullets. They found the weapons in Wanjigi’s kitchen ceiling, which allegedly was not a safe place.