By TWV Team
Standard photojournalist Collins Kweyu was released from police custody on Saturday, 20 September 2025, following his arrest on Friday for alleged cybercrimes linked to a story he was investigating. The story involved a Migori magistrate alleged to have accepted a bribe to rule in favour of a party in a case.
Officers at Nairobi’s Central Police Station, where Kweyu was detained, initially refused his release, citing orders from their counterparts in Migori. The Migori police indicated they were investigating Kweyu and two others, with plans to transfer him there. His arrest drew widespread condemnation from organisations including the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), the Crime Journalists Association of Kenya (CJAK), and Amnesty International Kenya.
“We wish to state unequivocally: using state apparatus to silence a journalist probing potential judicial corruption is an assault not only on press freedom but on the rule of law itself. Arresting him on a Friday evening to prolong detention until Monday only heightens suspicions of bad faith,” said CJAK Secretary General Brian Obuya. He added, “Whilst we respect every citizen’s right to seek redress through lawful means, we are deeply troubled by the manner and timing of Kweyu’s arrest, and by court orders to search his home and computer equipment, which we view as an attempt by police to uncover his sources.”
Amnesty International Kenya called for Kweyu’s safety in custody, urging that he be granted the full rights of a detainee. Kweyu protested his arrest, stating he was lured to a meeting at Hot Dishes Restaurant in Nairobi, where Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers apprehended him.
On Friday evening, it emerged that DCI Director Mohamed Amin had ordered Kweyu’s release, but it required concerted efforts from media colleagues to secure his freedom on a free bond. Kweyu reported that his mobile phones were confiscated, and he is expected to report to the Migori County Criminal Investigation Officer on Wednesday, 24 September 2025.
This incident underscores ongoing threats to press freedom in Kenya, particularly for journalists exposing corruption. The Media Council of Kenya recently condemned a similar assault on journalist Habil Onyango in Homa Bay for reporting on job scams. The swift response from media organisations and public outcry likely pressured authorities to release Kweyu, but concerns persist regarding judicial independence and police accountability in Kenya.
[/full]
