• Contrary to popular belief, Interpol is itself not a law enforcement agency and can therefore not effect arrests.
• Miguna said the ICC should investigate lawyer Gicheru's death.
Image: COURTESY
Lawyer Miguna Miguna has dismissed Azimio leader Raila Odinga's calls for Interpol to investigate the death of lawyer Paul Gicheru.
Raila on Wednesday said Gicheru, who was awaiting judgment at the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged witnessed interference in Kenya's cases on post-election violence, died under mysterious circumstances.
He said to avoid cover-up, international investigative agencies, including Interpol, should handle the case.
"This is particularly so because the case has international implications as Mr Gicheru was in the custody of the ICC at the time of his death," Raila said in a statement released by his spokesman Makau Mutua.
But Miguna said Interpol had no jurisdiction to probe any case in the country.
"The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) is an organization of police associations around the world. It has neither the capacity nor the jurisdiction to investigate anything in Kenya," Miguna said in a tweet on Thursday.
According to the lawyer, Gicheru's murder can be investigated by the ICC under whose custody he was at the time of his death.
Gicheru died Monday night at his home in Karen, Nairobi.
Police said he was found unresponsive on the couch at around 7 pm. The cause of death remains unknown.
"He had late lunch and felt unwell and went to bed but he did not wake up," police said, adding that his son was also hospitalised after he collapsed.
What type of cases can Interpol handle?
Interpol is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control.
It was founded in September 1923 and is headquartered in Lyon, France.
Contrary to popular belief, Interpol is itself not a law enforcement agency and can therefore not effect arrests.
But it helps countries to conduct investigations on fugitives, firearm and drug trafficking, financial crimes, crimes against humanity, child pornography among other white-collar crimes.
However, the police organisation has no jurisdiction to probe murder, rape, arson or burglary cases which local police have the capacity to handle.