This archive report was first published on 3 January 2020.
Kenya: Why Kinoti Had to Disband Flying Squad ¶
On January 3, 2020, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) made a significant move by disbanding the Flying Squad unit in Nairobi. The decision was made after a thorough investigation revealed rampant corruption and crime within the unit.
The unit, which was formed in 1992, had been plagued by allegations of misconduct and crime. Despite consistent warnings, the officers continued to operate outside the law, causing mayhem in the city.
According to sources, the complaints filed against the unit were too grave to ignore. The officers had gone rogue, and their actions were escalating despite warnings from their superiors.
"The complaints are part of the reason it was decided that the unit which is based in Nairobi is disbanded. This is because there was proof that some of the officers within the unit had gone rogue and were involved in crime," said a senior officer.
DCI boss George Kinoti had previously disbanded all flying squad sub-units in 2018 and ordered officers to hand over any police property in their possession. However, the rogue officers continued to operate, passing themselves off as flying squad officers.
One of the officers, Simon Mwaniki Festus, was arrested in connection with a Sh6 million robbery in Nairobi's Eastleigh estate. He had introduced himself as a flying squad officer to the victim.
Another officer, Kelvin Ndosi, had been linked to several robberies within the city and had also presented himself as a flying squad officer.
The disbanding of the Flying Squad unit marks the end of an era for the police service. The unit had been admired for its unique approach to law enforcement, but its officers had become a law unto themselves.
