Officers from Kenya Police take cover outside the Garissa University College during an attack by gunmen in Garissa which left 147 dead and many wounded. The ombudsman has proposed that the IG gives Air Wing Commandant Col (rtd) Rogers Mbithi a warning, in writing, for his actions on the day of the attack that saw a police aircraft pick members of his family from the Moi International Airport, Mombasa.  (PHOTO: COURTESY/ AP)

The National Police Service should recognise and promote four police officers stationed at the Garissa University College during the time of the terror attack.

The Inspector General of Police should also reprimand its Air Wing Commandant for his actions on the day of the attack, as well as deploy Special Combat Police units in each county for rapid response to terror attacks and other disasters.

These are part of a raft of proposals contained in a report by the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) after investigations into the alleged dereliction of duty by security agencies and public officers during the attack. Other matters the commission was investigating were the delay in the rescue operation at the university, and misuse of police aircraft, number of persons slain, injured or missing after the attack, as well as delays in the process of identification and verification of bodies of the deceased.

Some 147 people, 143 of them students, were killed in the al Shaabab attack on April 2, 2015.

Dr Otiende Amollo, Chairperson, Commission on Administration of Justice (CAJ). The CAJ recommends that police constables Chepkonga, and R Khaemba and Administration Police constables N Mutahi and Kuli be transferred to aid their recovery from the trauma. (PHOTO: ANDREW KILONZI/ STANDARD)

The CAJ report, dated April 2016, recommends that police constables Chepkonga, and R Khaemba and Administration Police constables N Mutahi and Kuli be transferred to aid their recovery from the trauma.

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The ombudsman proposes that the IG gives Air Wing Commandant Col (rtd) Rogers Mbithi a warning, in writing, for his actions on the day of the attack that saw a police aircraft pick members of his family from the Moi International Airport, Mombasa.

According to the report, the Air Wing had only one operational task on a special security assignment to Turkwel and one programmed training flight to Mombasa on the day of the attack.

Mbithi had stated that he learnt of the attack at about 8am. In his defence, he said the flight to Mombasa had already left at 7.26am and that he saw no need to recall it since the Cessna 208 fixed wing aircraft had remained on standby. Although the officer admitted to having requested the pilot to pick his daughter-in-law and her children from Mombasa, he said he was allowed to do so by the Kenya Police Standing Orders that authorise police officers and their families to fly in police aircraft.

Colonel (rtd) Rodgers Mbithi. He says he broke no ground rules by allowing his family on the plane on its way back from Mombasa. The ombudsman has recommended that disciplinary action be taken against him for his role in the Garissa attack Air Wing mishap. (PHOTO: FILE/ STANDARD)

But the commission argues that it would appear that the training flight from Mombasa was pre-planned for that purpose, in which event his actions amounted to abuse of power.

In proposing that officers on duty at the university on the day of the attack be recognised for their bravery, the report notes that a copy of the Occurrence Book (OB) confirms that the attack was reported at 5.30am by PC’s Chepkonga and Khaemba.

It is believed that communication relayed by the officers to the police station prompted immediate response. Between 5.45am and 6am, ATPU, CID, RDU and Prisons had arrived at the scene of the attack. The Garissa County Commissioner and other senior security officers were at the university by 6.30am followed by Kenya Defence Force’s special unit. The Recce team would join the security teams on the ground at about 2pm.