• Birech was on Friday appointed director of the Investigations Bureau
• The two are among those who were promoted last week to senior ranks
Image: COURTESY
David Birech has been named the new Director of the Investigations Bureau at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters.
Birech was the Director of the National Police Service’s Internal Affairs Unit.
He swapped positions with seasoned detective Abdallah Komesha in the changes announced on Friday.
A handover ceremony was planned yesterday at the IAU offices in Upper Hill to usher in Komesha.
Komesha was in charge of investigations into the Shakahola massacre in Kilifi when he was recalled and informed of the abrupt changes.
Exhumation of bodies is ongoing, and some 17 suspects face serious charges over the death of 284 bodies exhumed so far.
Komesha had been in charge at IB for less than two months since he took over from Eliud Lagat, who was promoted and named the Commandant of the General Service Unit.
Komesha had also acted as the Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police for two months before Douglas Kanja was named as the substantive DIG.
Both Komesha and Birech are seasoned detectives. IB is seen as key in police work as it gives directions on various investigations.
The two officers are among those who were promoted last week to the rank of Senior Assistant Inspector General of police.
Others are Lagat, the director-general of the Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS), Bruno Shioso, Deputy Director of Criminal Investigations Nicholas Kamwende and John Onyango.
Also promoted were the Commandant NPC Embakasi “A” Campus James Kamau and Director of Operations Geoffrey Otunge.
The functions of the Internal Affairs Unit include receiving and investigating complaints against police.
It also promotes uniform standards of discipline and good order in the service and keeps a record of facts of any complaints or investigations made to it.
Without making prejudice, the unit may where necessary investigate and recommend appropriate action in respect of anyone found engaging in unlawful conduct.
The unit is currently handling dozens of complaints against police, among them claims of extra-judicial killings.
Among the cases include one of two missing Indians and their Kenyan driver.
For now, police are investigating crimes of abduction and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Indians Mohamed Kidwai, Zulfiqar Khan and their driver Nicodemus Mwange were abducted near Ole Sereni and driven away in an unmarked car on July 23, 2021.
They are still missing.