A family in a property dispute has accused officers attached to
Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Murang’a County of being used
by one of their members to harass and intimidate them in order for them
to vacate their land in favour of their kin.
Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Murang’a County of being used
by one of their members to harass and intimidate them in order for them
to vacate their land in favour of their kin.
The family
of late tycoon Stephen Kirubi has been at loggerheads over who should
live in a home and control the 150-acre piece of land in Kirimiri
village in Makuyu.
of late tycoon Stephen Kirubi has been at loggerheads over who should
live in a home and control the 150-acre piece of land in Kirimiri
village in Makuyu.
Five members have endorsed their
lastborn, Kelvin Macharia Kirubi, to stay on the land while their fourth
born Fredrick Kirugu Kirubi has differed with them and wants to control
the farm.
lastborn, Kelvin Macharia Kirubi, to stay on the land while their fourth
born Fredrick Kirugu Kirubi has differed with them and wants to control
the farm.
DISPUTE
The
dispute which erupted after the death of Mr Kirubi in 2006 and worsened
last year after the death of their mother has seen the five members
pulling from one side while Mr Kirugu pulls from the other.
dispute which erupted after the death of Mr Kirubi in 2006 and worsened
last year after the death of their mother has seen the five members
pulling from one side while Mr Kirugu pulls from the other.
It
is the frequent visits by the detectives escorted by Mr Kirugu that
prompted the family members to cry foul, accusing the officers of being
manipulated by their brother to intimidate and harass them in a move
they claim is aimed at forcing Mr Macharia, who currently occupies and
controls the farm, to leave the palatial home.
is the frequent visits by the detectives escorted by Mr Kirugu that
prompted the family members to cry foul, accusing the officers of being
manipulated by their brother to intimidate and harass them in a move
they claim is aimed at forcing Mr Macharia, who currently occupies and
controls the farm, to leave the palatial home.
STORMED HOME
According
to Mr Macharia, his elder brother, accompanied by the DCI officers, has
stormed and broken into their home four times with the latest incident
being on Sunday when he was arrested and roughed up before he was thrown
into a police vehicle.
to Mr Macharia, his elder brother, accompanied by the DCI officers, has
stormed and broken into their home four times with the latest incident
being on Sunday when he was arrested and roughed up before he was thrown
into a police vehicle.
He said the officers broke
their two gates and the door to their home, handcuffed him and took him
to a police Toyota Land Cruiser car before going back to the house and
came out with bullets which they allegedly said they would charge him
with being in illegal possession of.
their two gates and the door to their home, handcuffed him and took him
to a police Toyota Land Cruiser car before going back to the house and
came out with bullets which they allegedly said they would charge him
with being in illegal possession of.
BULLETS
He
denied having the bullets in the house, saying that after occupying the
house last year, they found a shotgun, a rifle and a pistol belonging
to their late father who was a licensed gun holder and after
consultations with his family members, they surrendered the firearms to
Central Firearms Bureau.
denied having the bullets in the house, saying that after occupying the
house last year, they found a shotgun, a rifle and a pistol belonging
to their late father who was a licensed gun holder and after
consultations with his family members, they surrendered the firearms to
Central Firearms Bureau.
“This is not the first time
for the police and my brother to break into this house; it’s the fourth
time a year after they stormed and found me with my brother and after
explaining that they were looking for guns we showed them the
certificate from the Central Firearms Bureau and they left.
for the police and my brother to break into this house; it’s the fourth
time a year after they stormed and found me with my brother and after
explaining that they were looking for guns we showed them the
certificate from the Central Firearms Bureau and they left.
“In
their first instance, the officers who were from the nearby Makuyu
Police Station were about 15 but on Sunday the 20 officers were led by
Kangema DCIO,” Mr Macharia said.
their first instance, the officers who were from the nearby Makuyu
Police Station were about 15 but on Sunday the 20 officers were led by
Kangema DCIO,” Mr Macharia said.
LEFT IN POLICE CAR
He
alleged that after arresting him, they first went to a restaurant where
all the officers took alcohol with his brother while he was left in the
police car for three hours before being taken to Makuyu Police Station.
alleged that after arresting him, they first went to a restaurant where
all the officers took alcohol with his brother while he was left in the
police car for three hours before being taken to Makuyu Police Station.
He
was later released at around 9 pm and ordered to report back to the
County Criminal Investigations Officer Julius Rutere on March 26.
was later released at around 9 pm and ordered to report back to the
County Criminal Investigations Officer Julius Rutere on March 26.
His
brother, Julius Mwaniki, claimed that his calls to the DCIO were met
with insults and intimidation that he too would be arrested.
brother, Julius Mwaniki, claimed that his calls to the DCIO were met
with insults and intimidation that he too would be arrested.
INTIMIDATION
“The
lead officer would insult and intimidate me saying that I would be
arrested too and he adamantly refused to tell me where they were taking
my brother. I believe this is an extended plan to intimidate us and
force our lastborn leave our home which belonged to our parents,” he
said, further denying claims of bullets being found in the house.
lead officer would insult and intimidate me saying that I would be
arrested too and he adamantly refused to tell me where they were taking
my brother. I believe this is an extended plan to intimidate us and
force our lastborn leave our home which belonged to our parents,” he
said, further denying claims of bullets being found in the house.
However,
Mr Rutere maintained that Mr Kirugu reported to his office that their
brothers broke into his house and that the officers had gone to the home
to do investigations when they found 61 bullets of different calibres.
Mr Rutere maintained that Mr Kirugu reported to his office that their
brothers broke into his house and that the officers had gone to the home
to do investigations when they found 61 bullets of different calibres.
INVESTIGATIONS
He said investigations are underway to establish who owned the bullets and whether the owner is a licensed gun holder.
“We
understand that the owner of the home, Mr Stephen Kirubi, used to be a
licensed gun holder but at the home we found one Kelvin Macharia who is
not licensed to have a gun and that is why we arrested him and wevare in
the process of verifying the owner of the bullets,” Mr Rutere said.
understand that the owner of the home, Mr Stephen Kirubi, used to be a
licensed gun holder but at the home we found one Kelvin Macharia who is
not licensed to have a gun and that is why we arrested him and wevare in
the process of verifying the owner of the bullets,” Mr Rutere said.
He
rubbished claims of harassing some members of the family saying if
keeping the bullets in safe hands was harassment, then he had no issue
with that.
rubbished claims of harassing some members of the family saying if
keeping the bullets in safe hands was harassment, then he had no issue
with that.
“It is true we were led by their brother but
if getting the ammunitions and placing them in safe hands would be
described as harassments then so be it,” he said.
if getting the ammunitions and placing them in safe hands would be
described as harassments then so be it,” he said.
The family said they are in the process of filing a complaint with the DCI and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority.
