Exiled lawyer Miguna Miguna has explained why he has fiercely defended Deputy President William Ruto over the alleged assassination claims.

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The DP has been under pressure to record a formal statement with the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) over an alleged plot to kill him ahead of 2022 polls.

DCI boss George Kinoti on Monday confirmed that Ruto has informed him that his life was in danger, as a section of top government officials from Mount Kenya were allegedly planning to eliminate him.

Despite summoning those mentioned, who include four Cabinet Secretaries, DCI insists that investigations into the alleged murder plot cannot commence, until Ruto makes a formal complaint about the issue.

On his side, the DP has vowed not to record a statement, unless it is taken by Kinoti himself.

Commenting on the issue, Miguna has slammed the DCI, terming the argument that Ruto must first record a statement for investigations to begin, as 'silly and primitive'.

"One doesn't have to "record a statement" for criminal conspiracies to be investigated and those involved charged and prosecuted. Competent law enforcement agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Scotland Yard, for example, unearth criminal plots long before they are executed," he tweeted on Wednesday.

Miguna, who has in the past been a critic of Ruto, said he was defending him not for his liking, but in the spirit of defending the constitution.

The vocal lawyer said he will never support crimes such as murder, noting he will even defend President Uhuru Kenyatta or former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, if they were the victims.

"I don't support any subversion of the constitution. I don't support illegal detentions, trumped-up charges, murder, theft - including theft of elections and public resources. It does not matter to me whether the victim is Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila Odinga or William Ruto," Miguna added.