DPP Haji Reveals Evidence in DP Gachagua’s Graft Case was Forged

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji says he was compelled to evaluate cases involving prominent people, including that of deputy president Rigathi Gachagua.

Speaking to KTN News on Sunday, Haji said the immediate former Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss George Kinoti provided his office with evidence which he later learned had been falsified.

“On Deputy President Gachagua’s charges, the decision was made on the threshold. We were pushed by DCI himself through the media. We felt there was sufficient evidence to charge but later we discovered the documents were forged,” Haji told Sophia Wanuna.

The DPP said forgery of evidence had become rampant with the former DCI director who resigned immediately after President William Ruto took office.

Read: Kinoti Forced Us to Implicate DP Gachagua in Sh7.3 Billion Graft Case – DCI Detective Reveals

” A case was brought against me but the documents were forged and falsified by officers from the DCI’s office under his command. We depended on the integrity and professionalism of the office f the DCI but unfortunately, that did not happen,” said the DPP.

Haji revealed that his office had to drop high-profile cases due to a lack of evidence after the DCI tainted investigations.

“For Aisha Jumwa’s case, we asked for evidence and it has never been availed. We had to then review the case and withdraw it,” he said.

This comes days after a senior DCI detective, Kuria Obadiah, told a court that Kinoti forced them to charge former Mathira MP with graft in 2021.

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In an affidavit supporting the withdrawal of the case against Mr Gachagua, the head of the Serious Crimes Section, said he was under immense pressure from Kinoti to come up with findings.

“On April 15, 2020, the DCI received a letter from the Financial Reporting Centre making allegations of criminal conduct against the accused persons imputing embezzlement of funds from the National Irrigation Board and other entities,” Mr Obadiah said.

He added: “While investigations were still in progress, the director of DCI, Mr George Kinoti CBS, directed us to make recommendations that will enable the accused persons to face charges.”

According to Kuria, some critical aspects of the investigation that would have provided information about whether the accused were guilty or not went unexplored.

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“It would be prejudiced to the prosecution’s case to proceed with the matter at this stage noting the outstanding areas of investigations that need to be covered,” he said.

Mr Gachagua was charged alongside William Wahome Mwangi, Anne Nduta Ruo, Julianne Jahenda Makaa, Samuel Murimi Ireri, Grace Wambui Kariuki, Lawrence Kimaru, Irene Wambui Ndigiriri, David Reuben Nyangi Nguru and M/S Rapid Medical Supplies Ltd.

They were charged with six allegations related to fraud, money laundering, abuse of office and conflict of interest.