DPP Breaks Silence On Viral Gachagua Prosecution Letter Over Unexplained Wealth
On Saturday, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions detected a bogus circular on social media that targeted former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
In the forged letter, the ODPP appears to be reacting to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission’s findings following an investigation into Gachagua’s assets.
The bogus documents also mentioned Gachagua’s Ksh5.2 billion wealth, suggesting that investigations will be done ‘considering the facts and the necessity to protect public faith in state institutions’.
“Should further investigations affirm these allegations, we authorize the commencement of prosecution proceedings including asset recovery where appropriate,” the letter, complete with a fake signature from Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Ingonga, read.
On Saturday, December 28, a Kenyan brought the bogus letter to the ODPP’s notice, and it was immediately flagged as such.
FAKE NEWS!#HakiNaUsawa https://t.co/bzHqPHFrWS pic.twitter.com/3yy71IVa1G
— Office of The Director Of Public Prosecutions (@ODPP_KE) December 28, 2024
The phony circular’s origins are unknown, but the fact that it was directed at the former Deputy President suggests that the letter was political in nature.
Gachagua’s riches has been a significant topic of discussion since an impeachment motion was filed against him in September 2024.
The troubled former Deputy President went on a furious rampage in the weeks preceding his impeachment, declaring all of his money and assets.
This gambit backfired, as his announcement of his billion-dollar fortune prompted more questions than answers about how he earned it.
Gachagua has, nevertheless, maintained that he is a significant benefactor of his late brother, Nyeri governor Nderitu Gachagua’s fortune.
Interestingly, various government agencies and other significant organizations in the country have recently been forced to issue statements dismissing letters and announcements involving them.
One of the more spectacular incidents was the US Embassy clarifying a false statement claiming to impose a travel ban on Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Kapseret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi. The forged letter went viral on December 1.
“These letters are fake. Creating or distributing false government documents is illegal in both Kenya and the United States,” U.S. Embassy spokesman James Hagengruber stated.
In November, the Ministry of Health’s Social Health Authority (SHA) on Sunday flagged a false job alert seeking to recruit in bulk for medical industry positions.
DPP Breaks Silence On Viral Gachagua Prosecution Letter Over Unexplained Wealth
