Veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho has demanded accountability for police officers who mishandled him during his dramatic arrest, which police later clarified was a case of mistaken identity despite seeking refuge at Karen Police Station.
Shortly after, police apologized, citing mistaken identity, but Gaitho’s lawyer, Dunstan Omari, described the apology as too little, too late. Omari revealed plans to petition the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the National Police Service (NPS) to investigate and potentially suspend the police officers involved in the “illegal” arrest. “It is quite a dark day today,” Omari said.
Omari stressed that the law clearly outlines procedures for arrests, criticizing the officers for using excessive force during Gaitho’s arrest, resulting in bruised hands. “This is not an isolated event that anybody can say was a case of mistaken identity. For the officers to trail Gaitho, serious data has been analyzed, profiling has been done, risks have been assessed, and timing has been agreed and how to execute the matter,’ he said.
The Kenya Editors Guild President Zubeida Kananu and Kenya Union of Journalists Secretary General Eric Oduor have also denounced the arrest and urged swift investigation and accountability for the involved officers. The police have recently made errors resulting in cases of mistaken identity, prompting criticism from Kenyans regarding their diligence in conducting due process before taking action.
In July 2024, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) issued an apology to another Kenyan identified as Dennis Basweti. The police had mistakenly listed him as a wanted person in connection with the violent protests that saw some protestors storm Parliament on June 25, 2024.
