DCI Boss Amin disbands Anti-Counterfeit Unit

DCI boss Amin Mohamed Ibrahim in a phone call after a joint security media briefing at the National Police College Embakasi 'A' Campus in Nairobi on November 15, 2022. [Kelly Ayodi, Standard]

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohammed Amin has disbanded another DCI specialized unit that was formed by his predecessor George Kinoti.

Amin, in changes announced on Tuesday afternoon, transferred all senior officers attached to the DCI Anti-Counterfeit Unit.

The unit, which was based at Parklands DCI offices, came to operation in 2018 when Interior CS Fred Matiang'i announced that there some traders were selling contraband sugar that contained mercury. The unit was then formed and it reported directly to Kinoti.

It was tasked with dealing with contraband goods that are said to have found their way into the market.

Amin has now transferred all senior commanders of this unit only leaving the junior officers.

Five senior officers of the rank of Chief Inspector and Inspector of Police who commanded the team were yesterday transferred.

The unit boss Chief Inspector Nathan Njoroge has been moved to Takaba DCI office in Mandera. Jacob Kathurima also from the same unit has been moved to DCI Turkana South.

The changes also affected 37 officers in the ranks of Inspector and Chief Inspector of Police.

The disbandment of the unit follows that of the Special Service Unit (SSU). On October 16, acting Inspector General of Police Noor Gabow announced that he had disbanded SSU.

"The DCI Special Service Unit (SSU) has been disbanded with immediate effect. All officers serving in the disbanded unit have been recalled to DCI Headquarters for further instructions," a message on the DCI Twitter handle said.

Gabow said the William Ruto-led Government was reorganizing the National Police Service.

President Ruto would eventually announce that he had directed the disbandment of the SSU following revelations that the unit had been turned into a rogue unit that engaged in extra-judicial killings.

The president, who spoke at church service in Kericho said officers in the elite police unit had gone rogue and turned into killers.

"The police changed and became killers instead of protectors of ordinary Kenyans. I have ordered the disbandment of a special Police unit that was killing Kenyans arbitrarily. We will change this country for the better," Ruto said.

Investigations into the mysterious disappearance of two Indian Nationals Zulfiqar Khan and Mohamed Zaid and taxi driver Nicodemus Mwania in Nairobi in July led to the arrest of nine officers attached to the SSU.

Eight officers are in custody while one officer is out on bond as investigations into the missing men continue.