DCI Arrest Kenyan Journalist

Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kitui County have reportedly arrested Emmanuel Maleve, a digital journalist working with Hopkin Media and TV.

Maleve, who is said to be known for his bold reporting on political and social issues, was reportedly whisked away in the afternoon of Thursday, May 1, by plainclothes officers under heavy security.

Eyewitnesses revealed that the arrest happened so fast that he had no time to respond before being pushed into an unmarked vehicle.

Journalists at the scene reported that the DCI officers disclosed that they were acting on direct instructions from DCI Headquarters along Kiambu Road. “We have clear instructions to apprehend him. Any further details will be communicated from Nairobi,” one officer reportedly stated.

Emmanuel Maleve, a digital journalist working with Hopkin Media and TV. /CHANNEL 15 NEWS

Human rights activist Boniface Mwangi, while also sharing details of the arrest, though terming it an abduction, revealed that Maleve was accosted at Muli Mall in Kitui town. 

"Officers at Kitui Central Police Station claim they do not have him and have refused to register the abduction," he stated on his social media platforms, adding that his phone was switched off.

Maleve's colleagues had claimed that the arrest was linked to an article he had written calling Kitui South MP, Rachael Nyamai, "Queen of Corruption." The article published on the Hopkin Media website had alleged that Nyamai was linked to allegations of significant corruption and misappropriation of constituency resources through clandestine operations.

"Shocking revelations from the Auditor General’s report, which exposed massive financial irregularities in the management of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF). The report uncovered unsupported bursary disbursements, idle project funds, and questionable financial transactions, raising serious concerns about embezzlement and misallocation of public resources," the article published on February 25, 2025, reads in part.

"The Auditor General’s report highlights Ksh26.7 million in bursary disbursements that lack proper documentation, meaning there is no proof that deserving students actually received these funds. Additionally, Ksh 1.6 million allocated to Project Management Committees (PMCs) has remained idle for over a decade, with some funds dating back to the 2013/2014 financial year. Shockingly, despite the 2023-2028 Development Plan emphasising education and infrastructure, many long-established schools in the constituency remain underfunded and neglected."

Maleve’s arrest has since rattled the media community in Kitui and beyond, sparking speculation over the charges he might be facing. He was reportedly transported to DCI Headquarters for interrogation.

The DCI had yet to publicly comment on the arrest of Maleve by the time of publishing this article. Viral Tea reached out to officials from the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), with one of them telling us that they were notified of the matter and would get back to us with more updates.

This case is almost similar to one where veteran journalist and former Nation Media Group (NMG) editor, Macharia Gaitho, was arrested on July 17, 2024, after driving to Karen Police Station in the company of his son.

The National Police Service (NPS) then clarified that Gaitho's arrest was a case of mistaken identity, though this was disputed by Gaitho and several journalists who rushed to the police station in his aid.