The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has issued a statement on the events that transpired on Wednesday night at the home of former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i who claims that a team of elite police officers had surrounded the premises.
DCI boss Mohamed Amin, in the statement, noted that after conducting independent investigations to determine the authenticity of Matiang’i’s claims, they discovered that the incident was nothing more but a “well-coordinated and deliberate attempt to spread false information and incite public fear.”
According to Amin, on the night of the alleged raid, activity began building up at Matiang’i’s home at around 8 pm after the former CS informed his security detail that he was expecting a number of lawyers at his home whom he wanted to be granted access to the premises.
“The lawyers arrived shortly after and proceeded to a meeting inside the house. They were joined shortly afterwards by politicians led by the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga,” said Amin.
The lawyers soon after left Matiang’i’s home, aboard three vehicles, to allegedly address a press conference, according to Amin. They reportedly left three other cars they had arrived in, at the former CS’ compound.
At around 9:30 pm, the DCI notes that Raila left Matiang’i’s home for the same press conference and it is then that the former CS told his guards that he had gotten word that police officers were en route to arrest him.
He allegedly gave his guards instructions to allow the police officers into his premises and to bar any journalists from accessing the compound.
Following Matiang’i’s declaration, Raila’s communication team allegedly leaked details of the supposedly imminent police raid to various media houses.
“The DCI confirms that this was a deliberate and malicious attempt to spread false information and incite fear, and is nothing more than the highest form of fake news,” said Amin.
“The DCI will not tolerate the purveyors of false information and will take firm and bold action against all those involved in this matter. Peddlers of falsehoods must understand that they will no longer get away with such careless acts targeted at the souls of our cohesion and National Security.”
According to Amin, who insists that no DCI detectives were sent to Matiang’i’s home, police will continue investigating the incident and offer a statement on the same in the coming days after the probe.
“We assure the public of our commitment to due process and holding all those involved accountable for their actions,” said Amin.
In the meantime, the High Court has since granted Matiang’i anticipatory bail barring police from arresting and detaining him.
In granting the orders, Justice Kanyi Kimondo said that the police are at liberty to investigate Matiang’i on any criminal conduct but will not arrest him following the anticipatory bail.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki has come out to dismiss false claims that police officers were sent to Matiang’i’s home.
“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,” said Kindiki in a statement.
