Police Blocked From Arresting Jimi Wanjigi
Justice Bahati Mwamuye on Friday, August 9 certified the matter that was filed in court on Thursday as urgent and directed that it be heard on a priority basis.
Marvin Chege 
Businessman and Safina Party leader, Jimi Wanjigi can breathe a sigh of relief after the High Court in Nairobi issued conservatory orders barring police from arresting him.
Justice Bahati Mwamuye on Friday, August 9 certified the matter that was filed in court on Thursday as urgent and directed that it be heard on a priority basis.
"Pending the inter-partes hearing and determination of the Application dated 08/08/2024, a conservatory order be and is hereby issued restraining the Respondents jointly and severally, their servants, agents, or third parties acting under the direction or authority of the Respondents from detaining, arresting, or restraining the liberty and freedom of movement of the Petitioner/Applicant, Jimi Wanjigi," the court orders seen by Viral Tea read in part.
The Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi. /FILE
"In the event that the Respondents jointly or severally, their servants, agents, or third parties acting under the direction or authority of the Respondents have as at the date and time of the issuance of this Court Order detained, arrested, or restrained the liberty and free movement of the Petitioner/Applicant; a further conservatory order be and is hereby issued directing the Respondents jointly and severally, their servants, agents, or third parties acting under the direction or authority of the Respondents to immediately free the Petitioner/Applicant and to take all necessary measures to ensure the same; pending the inter-partes hearing and determination of the Application dated 08/08/2024."
Wanjigi was directed to serve the Petition and Application on the Respondents. Earlier, he moved to sue Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga and the Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli at the Milimani Law Courts. The matter is set to be mentioned on August 16, 2024.
Earlier, Masengeli called upon Wanjigi to surrender himself to any police station, linking him to the recent anti-government demonstrations dubbed 'Nane Nane'.
The acting police boss revealed that Wanjigi was wanted by the police to record a statement after several items linked to criminals believed to have infiltrated the Nane Nane protests were recovered from his car.
He noted that the raid witnessed at Jimi Wanjigi’s home came after police during an operation intercepted a vehicle linked to the businessman, outside his home in Muthaiga.
"In the vehicle, we recovered four teargas canisters, two Motorola gadgets, seven assorted chargers for the pocket phones and one mobile phone. There is one arrest that has happened," he noted.
Wanjigi, in disagreement, claimed that police teargassed him and pursued him to his home on 44 Muthaiga Road, and thereafter attempted to forcefully enter his residence to arrest him.
He also denied police reports that items including teargas canisters were allegedly seized from one of his escort vehicles outside his residence.
"The Applicant denies knowledge of the stated items and discovery, categorically stating that the motor vehicle in which they were discovered if at all, does not belong to him or any of his associates or affiliates as reported," he said in court papers.
Two of the raids were conducted on Thursday at 7 pm and the other at around midnight. The third raid was conducted early Friday morning. Wanjigi's family would later reveal that the police while conducting the different raids, assaulted them.
"They came around 7 pm. I was beaten by 5 officers. My mother and sister were asked to lie on the floor, they were kicked in the head, and they conducted a search. The WiFi Signal is all down. We don't know what they want," a visibly emotional Maina Wanjigi told journalists at the Muthaiga home.
On Friday, former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga paid a visit to Wanjigi's house.
Raila Odinga arriving at Jimi Wanjigi's home following raid by police#ViralVideos pic.twitter.com/ogHXePLn3N — Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) August 9, 2024
