This archive report was first published on 18 November 2021.
On November 18, 2021, the High Court convicted Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti to civil jail for refusing to surrender firearms to businessman Jimi Wanjigi.
According to documents filed in court, Kinoti claims he is not the custodian of the civilian firearms in question, which were being held by Chief Firearms Licensing officer Samuel Kimaru.
DCI Kinoti told Judge Anthony Mrima, 'I have read the affidavit by Maxwell Otieno wherein he deponed about the whereabouts of the Firearms in question. I wish to state my office only hold guns that have been recovered from crime scenes, police issue and not the civilian Firearms.'
Kinoti further argued that Wanjigi has all along cited him wrongly for contempt of court as he does not have the firearms, and that the petitioner should pursue Kimaru for the release of the firearms.
According to Kinoti, Wanjigi's license was previously revoked and reinstated upon appeal, and he should pursue the same avenue.
Wanjigi was informed by the firearm and Licensing board Secretary Samwel Kimaru in a letter dated January 30, 2018, that his firearm license was revoked.
The letter stated, 'I wish to notify you in accordance with the provisions of the Firearms Act. Cap. 114 laws of Kenya that your Firearms Certificate No. 9522 issued to you on June 12, 2014 is with effect from the date of this notice, revoked as the Firearms Licensing Board is satisfied that the revocation is warranted under section 3(5)(b) and section 5(7) of the above mentioned Act for reasons that you are unfit to entrusted with firearm anymore.'
