DPP Haji Slams Matiang'i Over Meeting With Ruto Before Night Raid

Director Of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji accused former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i of misleading Kenyans regarding a meeting he had with President William Ruto prior to the alleged raid by police officers at his house.

Speaking to Citizen TV on Thursday, February 9, Haji poked holes in Matiang'i's affidavit which revealed that the meeting was for the purposes of crafting a scheme to have him arrested on Wednesday night, February 8.

According to the former CS, the scheme was hatched during the recent conference of African prosecutors in Mombasa attended by President Ruto and hosted by DPP Haji.

DPP Noordin Haji during a past press briefing. /FILE

However, the DPP termed his claims as perjury, vowing that he would challenge him to prove the claims.

"I have noted his application in court and has alleged that the President and I met at the sidelines of the meeting to plan against him. That is a perjury and I will take him to task.

"Let him table the evidence; we have several AGs and I have evidence that no such thing happened. That is perjury to mislead the public," he lashed out.

Also known as foreswearing, this is the intentional act of swearing a false oath or falsifying an affirmation, to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to an official proceeding.

In Kenya, Section 108 of the Penal Code defines perjury as "Any person who, in any judicial proceeding, or for the purpose of instituting any judicial proceeding, knowingly gives false testimony touching any matter which is material to any question then pending in that proceeding or intended to be raised in that proceeding, is guilty of the misdemeanour."

Matiang'i had also alleged that there are plans to pursue some of his former cabinet colleagues with the aim of arresting and charging them in court but Haji claimed to have no knowledge of the same.

"I take exception that there is an issue that any of those is going to be investigated," stated the DPP, who added that, unlike the previous administration of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, he is currently enjoying the peace of service with no pressure or persuasion in the execution of his duties.

Moreover, the DPP confirmed that Matiang'i was under investigation over the Ksh1.5 billion Ruaraka land scandal, stating that "For a long time it is the media that has been asking of the Ruaraka land. Once the file is ready, we will make the decision and we will inform the public. We are awaiting the finalization of the financial investigations. Once that is ready is complete we will make an appropriate decision." vowing not to spare anyone regardless of their position in government.

This comes a day after the Director of Criminal Investigations, Mohamed Amin denied that his officers and those from the police force were deployed to arrest Matiang'i while accusing him of stage-managing the whole event.

He was addressing the media when he released the findings of the investigations carried out on the alleged police raid. Amin further revealed that preliminary investigations indicated that there was a deliberate attempt to spread false information.