Police boss recalled two days after appointment as IAU director
The newly appointed head of the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) Mr John Gachomo who has been recalled to Jogoo House, the police headquarters.
Last-minute changes at the National Police Service have seen the newly appointed head of the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU), Mr John Gachomo, recalled to the police headquarters at Jogoo House.
Mr Gachomo, who was to take over from Mohamed Amin as the director of the IAU, was recalled on Friday morning for redeployment.
The unit's deputy, Esther Ngang'a, who is also a lawyer and commissioner of police, will take over as director in an acting capacity, acting Inspector-General of Police Noor Gabow said, as the search for a substantive director gets underway.
The change followed complaints from civil society groups and development partners who questioned Mr Gachomo's suitability to head the IAU considering that he once headed the Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU).
The ATPU was accused by Missing Voices Kenya, which tracks down cases of extrajudicial killings, of being behind a series of enforced disappearances.
Data from Missing Voices shows that cases of extrajudicial killings have been on the rise in recent times, with 101 killed by the police or disappeared so far this year.
Enforced disappearance
“Out of the total, 97 were as a result of police killings, including two cases of enforced disappearance and four cases of persons who disappeared in police custody,” the group claims on its website.
In 2021, Missing Voices recorded 219 cases, 187 of which resulted from police killings, while 32 disappeared while in police custody.
And in 2020, 168 cases were recorded, 158 of which were a result of police killings, while 10 disappeared while in police custody.
Director of Criminal Investigations Amin Mohamed has pledged to respect human rights as he takes over the running of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), whose now disbanded Special Service Unit was accused by President William Ruto of conducting extrajudicial killings.
“I will endeavour to lead the DCI in the most professional manner and adhere to the supreme law of the land – the Constitution of Kenya,” said Mr Amin minutes after he took the oath of office on Wednesday.
The Nation has learnt that complaints about Mr Gachomo's suitability were also received from the chief public prosecutor’s office and police oversight bodies, which accused his office of frustrating cases during his tenure as head of the Investigations Bureau.
