Justice Wendy gives nod to Petition lodged against Mombasa Tailor, Changamwe Deputy OCPD and IG Kanja over Police uniforms

High Court Judge Wendy Kagendo has declared as urgent a Petition lodged by the Centre for Litigation Trust (CLT) against a Mombasa Tailor, Changamwe Deputy OCS Samuel Kariuki, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, and th Office of Director of Prosecutions, over alleged breach of legal process in procuring Police uniforms.

Justice Wendy on Monday directed the case to be mentioned on March 18, 2026 for further directions.

Centre for Litigation Trust (CLT) argued that making of Police Uniforms was typically restricted to authorised manufacturers approved by the Kenya Police Service, terming Deputy OCS Changamwe Police Station’s act of giving unauthorised civilian to do the work for police officers as unlawful and a breach of security.

In an affidavit sworn by Julius Ogogoh, CLT said no officer, including a Deputy Officer Commanding Station, has the power to instruct a civilian to make Police uniforms without proper authorisation or unless the said civilian is an authorised manufacturer of police uniforms.

CLT established that whereas Onyango Otweyo, the Magongo, Changamwe based Tailor, is not an authorised and approved manufacturer of police uniforms, Deputy OCS Changamwe instructed him and indeed paid a sum of sh.4200 to make for him a police uniform in blatant breach of police breach of police service regulations.

The Petitioner further argued that with the intent to cover his misconduct, the Police inspector orchestrated the arrest of Otweyo and framed him with false charges of obtaining money by false pretence.

"It's only after an immediate public outcry by the civil society about the turn of events that the Deputy OCS released Otweyo", said Ogogoh.

He said the Police Officers action was so grave since authorizing unapproved civilians to make Police uniforms poses risks to compromised security, Counterfeit potential for fake uniforms and misuse, and compromises quality-non-standard uniforms, thereby affecting professionalism.

Suspect, Mark Onyango Otweyo was arraigned before a Mombasa Magistrate's Court and charged with obtaining KShs. 4,200 from Inspector Kariuki, while pretending to be in a position to make him a pair of police uniforms.

"Mark Onyango Otweyo, on the 9th August 2025, at Changamwe Police Station area in Changamwe, Sub County within Mombasa, with intent to defraud and obtain ksh 4200 from Samuel Kariuki, pretending that you were in a position to make one pair of police uniforms, a fact that you knew to be false or untrue" says a Police Charge sheet.

Otweyo, a well known Tailor at Magongo, Changamwe, revealed to the court how Inspector Kariuki and other Senior police officers in Mombasa have been procuring new police uniforms from him.

The suspect admitted that he has several times made new Police uniforms to both Junior and  Senior Police Officers,  in particular, the Changamwe Deputy OCS and Airport OCPD.