DCI Exposes Matiang'i, Raila's Role In Findings On Home Raid

Matiang'i moved to court seeking anticipatory bail, with his lawyers claiming that his rights were violated...

admin admin
Feb 9, 2023 - 14:00 Updated: Feb 9, 2023 - 15:50
0
DCI Exposes Matiang'i, Raila's Role In Findings On Home Raid
Collage of Raila Odinga, DCI boss Mohamed Amin and former Interior CS, Fred Matiang'i. /FILE

UPDATE: The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohamed Amin, has denied that his officers and those from the police force were deployed to arrest former Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Fred Matiang'i, while accusing him of stage managing the whole event on Wednesday night, February 8.

He was addressing the media when he released the findings of the investigations carried out on the alleged police raid, in which they found that none of the cases has reached the stage which requires the assistance of Matiang'i, even though DCI treated them seriously.

"We have managed to interview several witnesses & our preliminary findings have uncovered evidence of a well-coordinated & deliberate attempt to spread false information and incite public fear. Unfortunately, it was spearheaded by a person of the standing of a former Interior CS.

"According to our investigations, activity began building up at Dr Matiangi's home on Wednesday at 8 pm. Initially, He (Matiang'i) informed his guards some of whom have been interviewed by DCI that he was expecting guests who are lawyers and instructed them to grant access upon their arrival... they (lawyers) arrived shortly after and proceeded to a meeting inside the house of Dr Fred Matiang'i. They were later joined by other politicians, led by none other than Raila Odinga.

"After another few minutes, the lawyers drove off in three vehicles, leaving three other cars in the compound. As they left, they informed the guards that they were going to address the press. At around 9.30 pm, Mr Odinga and the team left the home to go and join the lawyers in the press conference. Dr Matiang'i then informed the guards that police would be arriving, accompanied by the media to arrest him, and instructed them to allow the police access to the home but to lock out the media," he added. 

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Fred Matiang'i can breathe a sigh of relief after the High Court granted anticipatory bail which blocks police from arresting and detaining him.

Justice Kanyi Kimondo granted the orders after 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.

Through lawyer Danstan Omari, Matiang'i claimed that he is being targeted for unlawful arrest, which put his family in a state of fear.

Furthermore, the lawyers claimed that the former CS was tipped off by some police officers loyal to him of his looming arrest.

Former Interior CS Fred Matiang'i. /NAIROBI NEWS

"...has received credible information from officers of the Kenya police that they are under express instructions to arbitrarily capture and arrest him with a view of arraigning him in court for ulterior political motives".

"We seek in the interim that justice should reign. In as much as there would probably be something purported to have been done by Matiang'i, let him be given every civil right entitled to every citizen in the country," one of his lawyers stated.

Matiang’i had urged the court to issue a conservatory order restraining the respondents, their servants, agents, junior officers and/ or anybody from effecting and/or anybody from arresting, charging, harassing or otherwise however interfering with him.

The court however stated that the police are at liberty to investigate him on any criminal conduct, but will not arrest him following the anticipatory bail.

According to Kenyan law, the High Court may grant anticipatory bail, that is, bail pending arrest provided the applicant demonstrates that his or her right to liberty is likely to be compromised or breached unlawfully by an organ of the state that is supposed to protect this right.

Matiang'i had claimed that police officers had surrounded his Karen home and cordoned it off during the Wednesday, February 8 night raid but retreated after the media and his lawyers arrived.

His successor, Kithure Kindiki, has since affirmed that no police officer was sent to Matiang'i's home, even though he asked members of the public to share information regarding the alleged raid.

"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 stated.

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki addressing the press on January 30, 2023. /MINISTRY OF INTERIOR

Tags: