74 detectives drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), attached to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), were transferred after the unit was disbanded.
In a letter dated Friday, February 17, and signed by Julius Kitili, the Director of Personnel at the Directorate, the 74 DCI detectives were moved to different departments across the country.
The redeployment affected seven chief inspectors and 24 police inspectors who were drawn from Nairobi, Kisumu, Isiolo, Eldoret, Nakuru and Nyeri.
Affected officers were directed to report to their new stations on or before Friday, February 24, 2023.
The role of the unit involves detecting and preventing tax evasion, and revenue leakages and carrying out investigations into economic crimes.
The transfers came against the backdrop of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s remarks in September 2022, where he accused the DCI of creating a toxic environment.
Speaking during the induction workshop for Governors in Mombasa County, the DP signalled for the recalling of DCI detectives working in government offices.
“We have told DCI to go back to Kiambu road and wait for crimes to be reported there. They have no business in government offices hovering all over and creating a toxic environment for service delivery.
“We cannot have detectives in government offices because they poison the atmosphere and environment for civil servants to deliver,” he stated.
Gachagua also castigated a section of police officers for being used by the previous regime to harass elected leaders and frustrate them in carrying out their mandate.
“The level of extortion by detectives pretending to be fighting graft whereas they were just extorting money from governors and officials is a thing of the past,” he remarked.
This marks the third unit to be disbanded since the Kenya Kwanza administration took over power.
On October 16, 2022, the acting Inspector General at the time, Noor Gabow disbanded the Special Service Unit (SSU) accused of being behind a wave of extrajudicial killings.
On November 23, 2022, the anti-counterfeit unit was disbanded as 37 officers from the unit were transferred to various departments.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE