•In a statement hours after Chebukati raised alarm over the matter, the DCI boss said the statements are not only misleading but false.
•Kinoti denied the existence of an office dubbed "OCS Anti Terror Police Unit" which Chebukati claimed was holding confiscated elections materials.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti has dismissed a misleading statement by IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati that the National Police Service is holding three key foreign election officials.
The new revelations now cast doubt on the stability of poll preparations considering Chebukati stated that NPS is holding key elections officials.
In a statement hours after Chebukati raised alarm over the matter, the DCI boss said the statements are not only misleading but false.
Kinoti denied the existence of an office dubbed "OCS Anti Terror Police Unit" which Chebukati claimed was holding confiscated elections materials.
"The Directorate of Criminal Investigations takes with a great exception, today’s statement dated July 22, 2022, issued by the Chairman of the Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Wafula Chebukati, to the effect that three IEBC officials have been detained by ‘OCS ATPU‘,"
"The Directorate hereby clarifies that no such persons have been detained, or any other person working for IEBC anywhere in the territory of the Republic of Kenya. Further, the DCI has no such office known as ‘OCS Anti Terrorism Police Unit’ in our structure."
The DCI boss has now asked members of the public to disregard Chebukati's statement promising to give a detailed statement today (Saturday, July 23).
"The statement issued by the IEBC Chairman is not only inaccurate but also misleading to the public and should be treated with the contempt it deserves."
In his earlier statement, Chebukati divulged that the NPS is holding key materials that were being used by the three Venezuelans to set up key technology infrastructure ahead of the August 9, polls.
"The National Police Service has, most importantly, confiscated all electronic items including mobile phones, laptops and flash disks in the custody of the said personnel which electronic items contain important and sensitive information relating to the forthcoming elections as well as projects undertaken by them for other countries. The said personnel were compelled to give passwords to the confiscated phones and gadgets resulting in violations of rights of privacy," Chebuati said in a press release.
He called out the National Service for lying that the items seized had been released to them.
NPS Spokesperson Bruno Shioso in a statement, Friday morning, said they had released the three foreign nationals after establishing that they were elections officials.
Shioso also stated that the election materials found in possession of a Venezuelan had been handed to the IEBC, a matter Chebukati has denied.
The electoral agency boss has claimed the materials have been confiscated and retained by the "OCS Anti-terrorism police unit".
The IEBC Chair has further divulged that -the three Venezuelans have been directed by the police to appear before them on July 26 saying the directive consequently affects the performance of their duties.
Chebukati said the commission is now troubled by the acts urging the National Police Service to give them the space to discharge their mandate.
"The commission is still troubled by the acts of the National Police Service and demands cessation of harassment of personnel of legitimately contracted service providers and calls for the immediate release of the confiscated items."
Despite the push and pull, Chebukati expressed commitment to delivering a credible election.