Kindiki Gives Matiang'i Next Step While Dismissing Alleged Police Raid

Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki has asked members of the public to share information regarding the alleged raid at former CS Fred Matiang'i's home on Wednesday night, February 8.

In a statement dated Thursday, February 9, Kindiki advised aggrieved persons to file a formal complaint at the nearest police station for investigations and appropriate action.

"Our Country's security agencies remain apolitical and focused on addressing the security challenges that our nation is facing.

"Any person with information relating to the alleged incident at Dr Matiang'i's home last night is advised to file a formal complaint at the nearest police station for investigations and appropriate action," he stated in part.

Kindiki further revealed that he was briefed by the command of the National Police Service (NPS), the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and all law enforcement agencies and that neither of them received any orders to track down the former Minister.

While refuting claims propagated by Matiang'i's lawyers, he reiterated that the police would not be used as political instruments, further noting that the officers are mandated to protect all Kenyans in line with the Constitution.

"We have received media reports and inquiries about an alleged invasion of the home of the immediate former Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government Dr Fred Matiang'i by some unidentified persons last night. Dr Matiangi's lawyers and some politicians who spoke from the scene alleged that the said persons were police officers sent to arrest the former Cabinet Secretary.

"This allegation is utterly FALSE. No police officer(s) or any security agent from any Government institution or department was dispatched to the home of Dr Matiang'i to arrest, harass or otherwise interfere with his Constitutional rights in any manner whatsoever," he added.

On Thursday, February 9, Matiang'i moved to court seeking anticipatory bail, with his lawyers claiming that his rights were violated and his woes worsened after he mocked President William Ruto's administration during his speech at the home of the former Education CS, the late Prof George Magoha.

Lang'ata Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Monica Kimani visited Matiang'i's residence in Karen as a means of reviewing allegations made by the former CS. Alongside the DCIO, the officers reportedly began recording statements and reviewing the evidence in what Azimio La Umoja Coalition termed a political witchhunt on him.

The officers during the investigations sought to know the identities of the people who raided the home as well as those who took part in the attack. Officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (DCI) were also seeking to collect CCTV footage that would be reviewed by video experts.

The evidence would be transported from the Karen to the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters, where Cyber Crime specialists will provide an investigatory report as DCI detectives sought to record statements with all the witnesses at Dr Matiangi's home on that fateful night.

Lawyer Danstan Omari at Matiang'i's Karen home on February 8, 2023. /CITIZEN TV