The respected scribe revealed that he was trailed from his home and upon reaching the station, he was bundled into a Toyota Probox and driven away before he was later released.
Veteran journalist and former Nation Media Group (NMG) editor, Macharia Gaitho cornered the police for failing to give evidence that his arrest earlier on Wednesday, July 17 was a case of mistaken identity.
Gaitho spoke to the press moments after his release from Karen Police Station where he was arrested after driving there in the company of his son. He narrated his ordeal of mistreatment at the hands of police officers who abducted him while he sought refuge at the station.
The respected scribe revealed that he was trailed from his home and upon reaching the station, he was bundled into a Toyota Probox and driven away before he was later released.
Gaitho narrated that he had gone to the station to seek assistance, however, the two cars that trailed him earlier had followed him right inside and its occupants bundled him into the Probox.
Photo of veteran journalist, Macharia Gaitho. /PARENTS MAGAZINE
Macharia’s Narration
“I was Sandwiched between two men in civilian clothes. I was handcuffed and I was assaulted. They were demanding to know why I was resisting arrest and I told them I was not resisting arrest, I was resisting criminals. I don’t know who you are, you have not identified yourselves and up to now, as far as I am concerned, you are criminals,” he revealed.
“They drove me down Lan’gata Road until the turning of Lang’ata South Road where they stopped, and made a few calls, I don’t know to who but I gather they were talking to their superior. I could hear them mattering words about how far but I heard them mention DCI headquarters. Then after long conversations, they decided to turn back.”
Upon return, Gaitho was still handcuffed in the car as the men stopped across the road near a petrol station. There, they asked for his ID, to which he handed it to them, looked at him and asked, “You are the Francis Macharia Gaitho?” to which he obliged.
Gaitho recalled that one of them stepped out to make some phone calls before returning to ask for his number, but he refused to give him. They had earlier asked for his phone which he did not have with him because he had left it with his son.
“After another long telephone conversation, they came back and the person sitting behind me was asked to remove my handcuffs. Then they told me it was a case of mistaken identity and that I was free to go. They did not explain how it was a mistaken identity. They did not explain how they could have trailed me near my home. As far as I am concerned, those are still criminals,” Gaitho faulted the police’s subsequent clarification of the arrest.
“They brought me back to Karen Police Station where they had abducted me in the first place and they went away. They were telling me now I could go home but I said no. First, I will report an attempted abduction, this is a criminal offence. I have already recorded an incident, reported a crime and it is in the occurrence book.”
As he waited to write his statement, Gaitho added that the men had instructed him to go to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters to report there, but he declined, affirming that the incident occurred at the Karen Police Station precincts.
“I received a call from the OCPD Lang’ata, she told me to go and talk to her there but I said no, if she wants to talk to me here. Now she has told me that they are sending someone from Lang’ata to come and take a statement from me. That Is what I am waiting for,” he added.
Regarding the abduction, Gaitho revealed that this was in response to his recent reports published in the Daily Nation newspaper that were critical of the state.
“It is clear that all these things are connected that the police are operating outside the law to intimidate, arrest, and harass innocent people. We will be demanding proper accountability from all those who are responsible and who claim to be in charge of security in Kenya,” he stated.
Lawyer Danstan Omari, who was at the press briefing and whom media stakeholders engaged after reports of the arrest emerged, confirmed that he will pursue legal action seeking interdiction of the police officers involved.
“I now have full instructions from all the stakeholders in the media industry to pursue this matter legally. First, the circular of the Director of Public Prosecutions rests the responsibility to investigate police abuse, and police behaviour on IPOA,” stated Omari.
Officers stand guard outside the DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road. /NATIONAL POLICE SERVICE
“From here, we shall record a complaint at IPOA… After that, we shall institute a suit to compel IPOA and the National Police Service Commission to interdict the police officers who are involved in the act that has been committed.”
The Other Gaitho Speaks
Meanwhile, Francis Gaitho, the controversial political commentator who was actually being sought after by the police, revealed that he will present himself to the DCI on Wednesday, July 17, at 2:00 p.m.
“Thank you for all the messages of concern. I’m truly humbled. As a law-abiding citizen, I’m currently in touch with my legal counsel on how to proceed. I will be presenting myself at DCI Headquarters, Mazingira House Kiambu Road at 2 pm today. Thank you all for your concern,” he wrote on X.