The Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome has categorically denied police involvement in a raid at the home of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
In a statement on Thursday morning, February 9, the IG maintained that the National Police Service did not send a group of elite officers to arrest Dr Matiang’i.
However, the IG did not mention whether they are investigating who the individuals purported to have raided the Matiang’i family home in Karen. People dressed as police officers surrounded the former Interior CS’s house on Wednesday night at around 9:45 pm.
His clarification follows a similar statement by EACC boss Twalib Mbarak who distanced his office from the raid. Mbarak said the anti-graft agency had nothing to do with the night raid at Dr Matiang’i’s home.
His lawyer Danstan Omari spoke to the press on Wednesday night, claiming that Dr Matiang’i’s life was in danger, and he pointed an accusing finger at the State.
“The life of Dr Matiang’i is at risk. We don’t know the intention of wanting to invade Matiangi’s home at this time of the night. We don’t know why they want to arrest him. We don’t know what offence he has committed. Our client is ready to be summoned to go and appear before any police station and record a statement if they have anything to charge him with,” Omari stated.
“We have put a cordon in his house of more than 200 lawyers protecting our client. We shall not leave here till morning so that when Matiang’i is arrested, we will follow the law,” Omari added.
Omari further stated that his team of lawyers had received strict orders from former President Uhuru Kenyatta to seek anticipatory bail for all former CSs on Thursday morning. Through his lawyers, Matiang’i moved to court seeking anticipatory bail.
He argued that he is under a looming threat of arrest by the police and worried that his constitutional rights are being infringed upon.
“The powers of arrest by the respondents and the Kenya Police are being abused and misused to harass, intimidate and oppress the applicant and his former cabinet colleagues and the former president; and to achieve extraneous political purposes unconnected with upholding the Law,” he stated.
The former Interior CS urged the court to issue a conservatory order restraining the respondents, their servants, agents, junior officers or anybody from effecting or anybody from arresting, charging, harassing, or otherwise interfering with him.
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