The former journalist was arrested after driving to Karen Police Station and was travelling in the company of his son when he noticed a car that was trailing them.
The National Police Service (NPS) on Wednesday, July 17 clarified that the arrest of former Nation Media editor Macharia Gaitho was a case of mistaken identity.
In a video seen by Viral Tea, a group of men clad in civilian clothes could be seen forcefully pulling the journalist out of his car before bundling him to another nearby vehicle and subsequently driving away.
The former journalist was arrested after driving to Karen Police Station and was travelling in the company of his son when he noticed a car that was trailing them.
Macharia’s daughter, Anita Gaitho, who confirmed reports of his arrest, revealed that the police drove the veteran journalist back to the Karen Police Station.
Here is the video:
Veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho has been arrested.
He drove to Karen Police Station where all this happened after noticing he was being trailed by a Subaru.
The son, who was with him in the car, recorded the events as they transpired. pic.twitter.com/oGePA9lEcf
— Martin Wachira (@Martowachira) July 17, 2024
“I’m with my dad, Macharia Gaitho. He’s just been brought to Karen police station by the car that abducted him.
“He’s safe although they roughed him up a bit. We’re making the abduction report right now,” she disclosed.
However, the NPS, who expressed remorse over the act, revealed that they had planned to arrest controversial political commentator, Francis Gaitho who was their subject of investigation.
“The National Police Service would like to clarify to the public that this morning, we arrested journalist Macharia Gaitho in a case of mistaken identity, meant for the arrest of Francis Gaitho who is our subject of investigation,” NPS said in a statement.
The police reiterated that as a service, it does not target journalists in any way, and that “today’s incident is highly regrettable.”
“The National Police Service remains committed to working with the media while discharging our mandate of promoting accountability and transparency,” assured NPS.
Francis Gaitho was recently mentioned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for spreading misleading information regarding the identity of Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, the main suspect in the heinous Kware killings who was arrested on Monday.
In a press statement, DCI boss, Mohamed Amin denied social media reports that it was covering up key details in the ongoing investigations into the killings following the discovery of more than 10 bodies in a quarry in Mukuru Kwa Njenga.
“After our press briefing earlier today regarding the pursuit and subsequent arrest of the prime suspect in the Kware killings namely Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, we found it unfortunate that some X users discredited our investigation by alleging that we issued a misleading statement by getting the names of our 33-year-old suspect wrong,” the statement read in part.
“Specifically, one Francis Gaitho (@FGaitho237) on his X account carelessly and with total disregard to the need to verify information, indicated that there existed no public record of our suspect, and went ahead to post the names, images and description of another innocent Kenyan by the name Jairus Onkundi.”
The suspect, Collins Jomaisi Khalisia, arrested over Mukuru killings (left) and onlookers at Kware Dumpsite. /DCI.PHOTO