A man who masqueraded as an Assistant Commissioner of Police will know his fate when a Nakuru Court rules whether he has a case to answer.
Joshua Waiganjo is jointly charged with former Rift Valley Provincial Police boss, John M’Mbijiwe and ex-Anti-Stock Theft Unit Commandant, Michael Remi Ngugi.
The trio’s destiny now lies with Senior Resident Magistrate, Joe Omido who will determine whether to discharge or put them on their defense. The prosecution closed its case after parading 38 witnesses who testified.
Waiganjo donned official police regalia and title as an Assistant Police Commissioner for more than five years before his cover was blown.
The suspended top cops M’Mbijiwe and Ngugi have denied abuse of office charges for protecting Waiganjo’s impersonation.
It is the prosecution’s contention that the former Rift Valley Police Chief had a “personal” file opened in Waiganjo’s name to pass him off as a senior police officer on November 23, 2012.
The impostor had earlier been convicted for impersonating an Assistant Police Commissioner, dressing in police uniform and being in possession of government stores.
However former Naivasha Judge, Lady Justice Christine Meoli quashed the sentence noting he did not undergo a fair trial as crucial evidence was left out during hearing.
She ordered a retrial and directed Waiganjo to take plea at the Naivasha Chief Magistrate’s court on June 13, 2017. Hearing of the matter is underway. Waiganjo previously served a two-year sentence at the Naivasha Maximum Prison.
He hit the headlines in 2013 when it was discovered that he was a police imposter after he was nabbed for making arrests and inspecting a guard of honour by Kenya Forestry guards during a graduation ceremony in Londiani, Kericho County.
M’Mbijiwe is separately charged with allowing the bogus cop to board a police chopper during a sensitive security mission to Baragoi, Samburu on October 30, 2012 prior to the Suguta Valley massacre where 42 police officers were killed by bandits.
The state has also accused M’Mbijiwe of ordering a junior police officer to release two lorries to Waiganjo when he knew that the imposter was not the lawful owner of the vehicles.
He allegedly committed the offence on August 30, 2012. Ngugi is accused of allowing Waiganjo unlimited access and use of police vehicles in addition to allocating him a personal police driver identified as Corporal Joel Mopel.
He committed the offence between July and November, 2012, at the Anti-Stock Theft Unit headquarters in Gilgil.
The three are out on a Sh.2 million bond each.
By Ann Mwale
