The Government is profiling assets of four politicians linked to drug trafficking by the US government in 2010, even as top security chiefs are scheduled to appear before the National Assembly next Tuesday over the matter. In a statement read in Parliament, Administration and National Security Committee chairperson Asman Kamama said police are also profiling the suspects and conducting further investigations on six other individuals named in drug trafficking.
Among the 10 include former Kilome MP Harun Mwau, Kiambu Governor William Kabogo, Nairobi Senator Gideon Mbuvi alias Mike Sonko and Mombasa Governor and former Kisauni MP Hassan Joho. Kamama (Tiaty, URP) told the House that despite a police report saying there is no evidence to sustain charges against the four, investigations on their assets are underway after which a report will be tabled in Parliament.
“The report had mentioned Mwau, Sonko, Kabogo and Joho. However, after investigations were completed there was nothing to incriminate them. But I would like to tell this House that investigations on their assets are ongoing,” he said. Kamama, who also told the House that investigations on the other six are ongoing, expressed concern over why the assets of the four are being investigated yet they had been cleared. He told the House he will summon Interior Coordination Cabinet Secretary Joseph Ole Lenku, Attorney General Githu Muigai, Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko and director ofCriminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro to shed light on how far the investigations had gone are and why the assets of the four politicians are being profiled. “We must bring this investigation to an end. Once we meet we will table the report in a week,” he said.
MPs had expressed concern that the investigations had taken too long. Suba MP John Mbadi had sought a statement seeking to know the status of narcotic drugs abuse investigations and why the government is investigating the assets of people who had been cleared by police. Mbadi said there is need for the committee to invite the security chiefs to explain further the issue as it touches on the credibility and integrity of Kenyans. “A lot needs to be done by the committee.
They should summon the CS, AG, DPP and DCI to explain who is being investigated and whose assets are under surveillance,” he said. MPs Joseph M’thuri (Igembe North), Mulu Makali (Kitui Central) and Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba) also accused the police of delaying investigations. “The investigations have taken years. Is it fair to the accused? It is unfortunate such a serious matter can take that long to investigate,” said Makali.
Bosire accused Kamama of not responding to the matter yet it is a serious issue that touches on Kenyans. “To the point he was referring to certain reports I think he was running away from responding to this matter. Kamama should formally bring out the whole report and we close this chapter as to who is associated with this drug business as it is affecting youths and economy,” he said. The then Internal Security Minister George Saitoti had tabled the names of the four as the ones mentioned in the US embassy report.
Also included in the list were former Kamukunji MP Simon Mbugua and Mombasa businessman Ali Punjani. The report recommended, among other measures, theprofiling of suspects of drug-trafficking, all entry points in the country be supplied with sniffer dogs as well as continuous surveillance on known and suspected drug barons and peddlers. But Mwau accused US President Barack Obama of plotting to grab his wealth and kill him.
This was after the US government barred him from travelling to US and froze his assets. Saitoti had been forced to produce the list after MPs demanded to know who among them was being investigated over allegations of being drug barons. The names were in a US embassy dossier which then ambassador Michael Ranneberger gave to the then Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (Kacc), now renamed Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). Kabogo, then MP for Juja, had a dossier of his own, which he claimed also named Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa and Kamukunji MP Simon Mbugua.
He also said it implicates the wife of “a very senior person in the country”. Though he tabled the document, it was not immediately accepted by then Speaker Kenneth Marende, who promised to investigate its authenticity first. But Kabogo was adamant the report was from the American embassy. He then said Prime Minister Raila Odinga had confirmed he had the same dossier in his possession. But Marende ruled the dossier would not be available to MPs until later.- The People
