CID talks

I can account for my trip, CID man tells Kaiser probe
Story by MARK AGUTU
Publication Date: 01/26/2006

A senior CID officer yesterday pledged to account for his movements weeks before Catholic priest John Kaiser was found dead.

Assistant commissioner of police Francis Njiru said he would table before an inquest into the priest's death details about his travel to Rift Valley Province. The priest was found dead near Naivasha Town.

Answering questions from State counsel James Mungai and later Catholic Church lawyer Mbuthi Gathenji, the officer denied any involvement in the death of Fr Kaiser.

"That is a total lie," he said in response to a question by Mr Mungai, who informed him that a witness had linked him to the murder.

He told Nairobi magistrate Maureen Odero: "I didn't, repeat, didn't kill him. I never knew him until his death was reported in the daily newspapers."

He promised to bring work tickets and imprest forms to show exactly when a crack unit he had led to Rumuruti in Laikipia reported back to their base in Nairobi in early August.

His team of between eight and 10 officers had travelled to Rumuruti on the instructions of CID boss Francis Sang to combat carjackers in the area.

And after the operation, in which a few people were arrested, the team passed through Nakuru Town where they reported to the provincial police headquarters before returning to Nairobi.

But asked whether he had records showing when the team came back, Mr Njiru said he could produce work tickets and imprests which bear details of payments to confirm the day of return.

The priest was found dead near the Morendat junction on the Naivasha-Nakuru road on the morning of August 24, 2000, with is head blown off and a shotgun lying nearby.

The hearing continues tomorrow afternoon.