Kenya suspended senior security officials following Garissa university attack, likely to face charges

Cabinet Secretary, Joseph Nkaissery (right) and National Police Service Commission chairman Johnston Kavuludi (left) when the cabinet secretary announced that nine top security commanders of Garissa County had been interdicted to facilitate investigation into the Garissa University terrorist attack. PHOTO: WILBERFORCE OKWIRI/STANDARD

 

NAIROBI: Nine top security commanders of Garissa County have been interdicted over the Garissa University College terror attack that left 148 people dead.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery indicated the County security team would be prosecuted over various charges once investigations into their conduct ahead of the attack prove there was criminal negligence.

"I am convinced of the need for thorough investigations into the terrorist attack on the Garissa University College to establish possible criminal culpability of individual officers or relevant security committees," said Nkaissery.

Those interdicted include the regional coordinator Ernest Mwinyi, County Commissioner Njenga Miiri, the County AP commander Christopher Muthee, CID boss Musa Yego, police county commander Charles Wambugu and the sub county AP commander John Cheruiyot.

Others include the local head of Anti-Terror Police Unit Mutuku Kimanzi, OCPD Benjamin Ongombe and Deputy OCS Charles Ayoro.

Nkaissery said Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet would appoint an investigating team that will work with the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to carry out investigations and take necessary steps as soon as possible.

He also warned police officers bestowed with the responsibility for the management of security in the country that each will be held personally responsible for any acts of omission or commission that endanger the lives and property of Kenyans.

The minister took the action after two teams he and Boinnet had appointed presented their reports on the attack. The teams were headed by Western regional coordinator James ole Serian and head of police's Internal Affairs Unit Leo Nyongesa and reported back on April 15.

Nkaissery was accompanied by outgoing PS Monica Juma, Boinnet, National Police Service Commission chairman Johnstone Kavuludi and Deputy IG Samuel Arachi.

The teams wanted to establish why the attack took place despite the fact that security officials there had been alerted.

The team noted that the police operations were affected by shortage of officers and that officers serving in the areas lacked essential facilities such as bullet proof vests thereby affecting their operations in the volatile region.

It added there was rampant corruption and smuggling of refugees in the area, which affects security.

The team noted that a day before the attack, only four police officers had been deployed to guard the Garrissa University.

The County Intelligence and Security Committee (CISC) had received information that the college was among the areas that the Al-Shabaab were planning to attack.

The CISC had recommended that eight police officers be deployed to the areas named as terrorist targets but this did not happen due to the shortage of police officers.

The team reduced the number to four.

Some 148 people including 142 students were killed in the attack that was staged by four terrorists.

It has since emerged the county security team had been warned in time and they even visited the college two days earlier as part of efforts to ensure security.

On the day of the attack, there was supposed to be four armed police officers on duty but only two were present.

One of the officers told the team he escaped the scene after the first attack while the second one said he engaged the attackers and after he ran out of the 20 bullets he had he ran for his safety.

It has since emerged the attackers planned to lay a siege for almost a week. This emerged after the investigators found out that the attackers had bought dates, biscuits, water, juice and other foodstuffs that they were to use for the period.

They were however mowed down by police bullets almost 12 hours after they had launched the attack.

So far only two are yet to be identified while the other two of the attackers have been confirmed to be Kenyans.

There has been blame game on how the situation was handled with many experts arguing the security managers are yet to learn on how they should address such an attack.

Investigations show the gunmen had their mobile phones activated on March 30 and were using them on the day of the attack. The mobile numbers were registered by a Kenyan who has since fled to Somalia.

He fled on the day of the attack.

The government had in March directed universities, especially those in Nairobi, to advise students on to be "vigilant" and report any suspicious sights on the campus or wherever they are.

The advice was informed by intelligence that there was an imminent attack on a vital installation in the country.

The UK and Australia had issued a warning of planned attacks. The UK in particular said it was recommending only "essential travel" to areas around the Coast and northeastern, including Garissa County.