DPP Makes Decision On Police Boss Who Attacked Capital FM Journalist

A senior police officer who assaulted Capital FM News presenter Angela Wambui Muiruri on December 19, 2020, will face charges.

Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Noordin Haji approved the charges against the police officer who assaulted the news presenter who was among 21 women assaulted during a security operation at a house party in Nairobi’s Kileleshwa estate.

The group was attending a get-together party when more than 40 police officers in the command of Deputy Officer in charge of Operations in Nairobi, one Samuel Boit, descended upon them.

Wambui had disclosed that the group had finished their party by 8:30 pm and police arrived at 9:10 pm as they were preparing to leave, recounting how the officers ordered them out and whipped them at the parking lot.

Capital FM news presenter, Angela Wambui during a past photoshoot. /TWITTER.MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS

They also divided the group into foreigners and locals, a matter which left several with injuries before they were driven to Muthangari Police Station where they were booked in.

“The police officers were very aggressive even though we were very calm and cooperated with them,” she told Capital FM at the time.

She added the commander of the operation, Boit, was so ruthless and agitated when she questioned him on how he was handling women.

“I told him that he should not be mishandling women and that is when he got aggressive and whipped me,” Angela said, displaying the injuries she sustained. Another officer also slapped her, she said.

The information is corroborated in a short video that went viral on social media, which showed Boit in civilian clothing whipping Wambui. When questioned about the motive of the act instead of arresting them, he told one of the women that “Yes this is what we do and there is nothing you can do about it.”

Wambui could be heard pleading with the senior cop, but her pleas fell on deaf ears and instead, was assaulted even more.

They were then escorted into a waiting lorry at the gate and driven to Muthangari Police Station where they were booked, only to be freed at 3 am.

“We were, however, forced to sign a paper that indicated that we had been granted free bond for violating night curfew despite having paid Ksh1,000 each,” Wambui said.

In her pursuit of justice, Wambui was turned away from Kilelesha, Kilimani and Central Police Stations where officers were afraid of recording the incident on learning that it would implicate their senior.

“Kilelshwa referred me to the Regional Police Headquarters where officers referred me to Central Police Station. At the Regional Police Headquarters, police said they do not take such statements and at Central Police Station, I was referred to Kilimani and on arrival, they declined to give me an OB and referred me back to Kileleshwa," she added.

Wambui then opted to seek treatment at the Nairobi Hospital when she realised that she was engaging in an exercise in futility.

Edward Mbugua, the former Deputy Inspector General in Charge of the Kenya Police took over the matter and facilitated her and other victims to record statements at the KICC Police Station before she was escorted to obtain a P3.

The matter was placed under investigation by the Internal Affairs Unit of the National Police Service (NPS) and eventually the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). Calls by Viral Tea to Wambui to get her reaction on the new development failed to bear fruit by the time of publishing.

This year, more than 20 cases of attacks and violations against journalists, including harassment, arbitrary arrests and physical attacks were documented with state actors responsible for or encouraging a significant proportion of these attacks, moreso during the Azimio la Umoja demonstrations in March 2023.

Kenyan journalists covering a past event. /FILE