Court Directs DCI to Return Firearms Seized from Tycoon Jimmy Wanjigi

The High Court has ordered the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to return firearms confiscated from tycoon Jimmy Wanjigi.

In a ruling on Friday, High Court judge Anthony Mrima gave DCI director George Kinoti 30 days to hand back the guns to Wanjigi.

The firearms were confiscated in October 2017 after detectives raided the businessman’s residence in Muthaiga, Luedecke & Co. Ltd offices at Uganda House, and Armame Kenya Ltd situated at Utalii House in Nairobi.

Last year, Wanjigi filed a contempt of court case against Kinoti after he failed to return the firearms as directed in a past court ruling.

The DCI maintains that some of the guns seized from the billionaire are high-tech and should not be in the hand of a civilian. The agency also argues that Wanjigi lacks legal clearance to have some of the weapons.

"Investigations have revealed that Wanjigi holds more guns which he failed to surrender when ordered by the Firearms Licensing Board in the letter dated 30th January 2018...The two firearms were subjected to ballistics examination and a report by the DCI confirmed that they were prohibited," the court was told in a past session.

The firearms in question include a Smith and a Wesson pistol, a mini Archer assault rifle, a Glock pistol, and an M4CQ assault rifle.