Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti has been summoned to appear before Court for disobeying a court order directing the release of motor vehicles belonging to former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa.

A Kiambu Court Magistrate in an order issued on Friday June 26, 2020 directed Mr Kinoti to appear in court on July 3 to explain why the vehicles had not been released as directed.

According to the magistrate, the vehicles, Toyota Lexus, Ford Ranger and a Mercedes Benz E-350 were not part of the search warrant as issued by the court.

“You are hereby required to attend this court at 8am on July 3, 2020 in the above case to explain why you have not released motor vehicle as ordered by the court in the above case and remain in attendance until released,” reads the summon.

The order to release the three vehicles was issued by Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Atembo had on June 10.

The Magistrate ruled that the motor vehicles were seized without “any support or any law of order of the court with sufficient reasons contravenes the constitution which provides for the right to private property and opportunity to be heard.”

The vehicles were part of five vehicles impounded by the DCI at Echesa’s Karen home in March.

A Passat KAY 388A, KBZ 009J Toyota LandCruiser V8 and KBN 242N Toyota Mark X are said to have belonged to a Kisumu resident Esther Kabura.

Kabura accused the former minister of stealing her late husband’s Sh12 million luxury vehicles in 2016.

According to the widow, Echesa promised to look after her deceased spouse’s vehicles as she was involved in a family tussle but declined to release them after the demise of her husband.