The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Noordin Haji has revealed reasons why they withdrew the corruption case against Public Service and Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa.
Aisha Jumwa was facing charges for illegally obtaining Ksh.19 million while serving as Member of Parliament for Malindi between May and October 2018.
DPP Haji explained that the decision to withdraw the case was due to lack of evidence which he claimed had been obstructed by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Haji further claimed that the decision to charge CS Jumwa was not based on evidence, hence, he could not allow what he termed as “the miscarriage of justice”.
While speaking during an interview with KTN on Sunday, October 30, DPP Haji stated that they asked for evidence, but it was never availed. He further added that they had written several reminders to the DCI, but it was not forthcoming.
“DCI said they have evidence to directly link Aisha Jumwa herself to the crime and they availed certain documents that we felt if additional documents were availed then proof could be there to allow us to prosecute her, but they were never availed, and we had to review the case and withdraw it.” Haji revealed.
Moreover, the DPP blamed the DCI and accused them of frivolously running the institution under its former boss George Kinoti.
According to DPP Haji, most cases did not meet the threshold for being charged, as they did not have enough evidence. Thence, their decision to withdraw the cases.
“We had a number of communications in those files before this decision was made and actually the decision to withdraw was made before the election because we had undertaken quite a number of reviews, we communicated with DCI to ask them to avail the evidence required to allow us make enough disclosure to the court and also prove ourselves right,” he stated.
Also Read: DPP Haji Drops Ksh19M Graft Charges Against Aisha Jumwa
“When we saw this was not forthcoming then we had no other alternative but to withdraw these cases. I could not hold any longer to have cases that did not have the desired threshold and did not meet what we felt was sufficient for us to go to court and that’s why our posture changed and demanded that DCI provided evidence.” Haji added.
Likewise, DPP Haji revealed that the division sparked a falling-out between his office and the DCI which he claims was the reason behind the cases Kinoti filed against him.
According to the DPP, his change of tune is the reason his Nairobi home was broken into, but he had to lead with integrity and independence and “stand his ground”.
“A case was brought against me, and the documents were forged and falsified by officers from DCI under his (Kinoti) command. We were depending on the integrity of the office of DCI but that is not what was happening,” he said.
