Gachagua Attends Court Hearing, Snubs DCI Summons

Gachagua Attends Court Hearing, Snubs DCI Summons

Rigathi Gachagua, impeached Deputy President, ignored an invitation from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to clarify allegations he made about alleged assassination attempts.

Instead, Gachagua appeared in court at the Milimani Law Courts in a case challenging his ouster.

DCI stated that the letter to Gachagua was not a summons, but rather a request for clarification from Gachagua.

“This is not a summon but a move to have him clarify the claims he made,” said an official aware of the developments.

Former UDA SG Clephas Malala, Kirinyaga Woman Rep Njeri Maina, Nyandarua Senator John Methu, and Rigathi's son Keith Ikinu in attendance for the DP hearing pic.twitter.com/q32L0sTSUi
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) October 22, 2024

Gachagua drove to Milimani Court around 10.30 a.m. in preparation for his case before a three-judge bench.

The DCI and some government officials believed that if his allegations were unchallenged, he would follow them.

This prompted the detectives to summon him for what they described as clarification.

He was scheduled to appear at the DCI headquarters on Kiambu Road on Tuesday, October 22.

A team was on standby to take his statement. They insisted on having him help them investigate the claims.

Gachagua, speaking on Sunday after being released from the Karen Hospital in Nairobi, where he had been admitted on Thursday as Senators were voting to remove him, claimed there had been two assassination attempts on his life.

This was before impeachment was introduced in Parliament.

“I don’t feel safe. On August 30, undercover cover police agents in Kisumu entered my room and one of them tried to poison my food but we detected it and we were able to escape. I was supposed to be killed through poisoning,” he told a press conference.

“On September 3rd in Nyeri, NIS (National Intelligence Service) officers came to Nyeri and tried to poison food belonging to me and Kikuyu elders.

He continued: “I reported the matter to NIS and asked the officers assigned to my office to leave. After attempts to assassinate me failed, this impeachment motion was hatched.”

He claimed his security was withdrawn, exposing him to danger. The DCI informed Gachagua that he had publicly stated that there had been multiple assassination attempts on his life.

“You were quoted saying, August 30th, in Kisumu, undercover security agents entered my room, bugged it, and one of them tried to poison my food. We detected it and were able to escape the scheme. I was supposed to be killed by food poisoning.

“You went further to state, “On September 3rd, another team from the National Intelligence Service came to Nyeri and tried to poison food that was meant for me and the Kikuyu council of elders,” the letter said.

“These are serious allegations emanating from a person of your stature and cannot be taken lightly. In light of the seriousness of this matter, we kindly request your presence on 22nd October 2024 at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters, Mazingira Complex-Kiambu Road, to formally record your statement to enable prompt and thorough investigations into the matter.”

The DCI stated that the police understand the sensitivity of the allegations and assured Gachagua that the matter will be handled with the seriousness it deserves.

“Your statement is a crucial component of our investigation.”

ALSO READ:

Gachagua accused President William Ruto of betrayal, saying he had no idea the Head of State “could be that vicious”.

He expressed surprise that the man he “helped to become President…believed in” could turn against him.

“If anything happens to me or my family President Ruto must be held to account,” he said.

Ruto has not commented on Gachagua’s impeachment since the motion was moved, nor has he addressed the ousted DP’s Sunday allegations.

Gachagua Attends Court Hearing, Snubs DCI Summons