Veteran Journalist Macharia Gaitho narrates arrest ordeal, vows to take legal action

Veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho has dismissed a report by the police claiming that his arrest was a case of mistaken identity and vowed to take legal action.

Gaitho, a columnist with the Daily Nation, was arrested outside the Karen Police Station on Wednesday morning in the company of his son, who filmed the whole incident, raising alarm across the media fraternity.

The detectives, however, released Gaitho later on and stated that they were targeting social media influencer Francis Gaitho instead.

However, addressing the media at Karen Police Station, the veteran journalist said that he believed  his arrest was not a case of mistaken identity and  would be demanding accountability for the police officers involved to be held responsible

"It is clear that all these things are connected and that the police are operating outside the law to intimidate, arrest, and harass innocent people," Gaitho stated while addressing the media.

"We will be demanding proper accountability from all those who are responsible and who claim to be in charge of security in Kenya," he added.

He also highlighted that the difference between him and the man on their radar was a world apart.

"That Francis Gaitho they claim they are looking for—I am twice his age. He does not live where I live because they trailed me from my home, as far as I know. He does not drive the same car as me. It is me they were looking for; it is me they were trailing," Gaitho lamented.

The journalist, while narrating his encounter, said he had driven to Karen Police Station to report two cars that were chasing him. The two mysterious vehicles followed him right into the station and accosted him.

They then bundled him into one of the cars, which was a white Probox.

"I was Sandwiched between two men in civilian clothes. I was handcuffed, and I was assaulted," he recalled his harrowing ordeal.

A collage photo of social media influencer Francis Gaitho (left) and veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho (right). (Photo: Collage)

Gaitho revealed that his abductors also demanded to know why he was resisting arrest.

"I told them I was not resisting arrest; I was resisting criminals," he added, further arguing that they did not identify themselves.

From here, Gaitho said he was driven down Lan'gata Road until the turning of Lang'ata South Road, where they stopped and made a few calls. According to Gaitho, he assumed the officers were talking to their superior and he heard them mentioning DCI headquarters. However, they decided to turn back.

"I came with them, still handcuffed in the car. We stopped across the road near the Shell Petrol Station. That is when they asked for my ID, and I gave it to them. They looked at me and said, 'You are Francis Macharia Gaitho?' and I said yes," Gaitho narrated.

"One guy got out, made some phone calls, and returned. He asked for my phone number and I refused to give it to him. They earlier asked for my phone, which I did not have with me because I had left it with my son," he added.

After another long telephone conversation, Gaitho said the officers returned, and the person sitting behind him was asked to remove his handcuffs.

 It was at this point that he was told the arrest was a case of mistaken identity and was asked to walk away.

"They did not explain how it was mistaken identity. They did not explain how they could have trailed me near my home. As far as I am concerned, those are still criminals," Gaitho, a former Managing Editor Special Projects for the Nation Media Group's publication, Daily Nation said.

The officers drove Gaitho back to where they arrested him, Karen Police Station, and drove off.

" They were telling me now I can go home but I said no. First, I will report an attempted abduction; this is a criminal offence. I have already recorded an incident and reported a crime, which is in the occurrence book. Now, I am waiting to write a statement.  They have been telling me to go to DCI Headquarters to report there, but I said no; the incident happened here at the precincts of Karen Police Station," Gaitho added.

Lawyer Danstan Omari, who was at the press briefing, confirmed that he will pursue legal action and seek the interdiction of the police officers involved.

"I now have full instructions from all the stakeholders in the media industry to pursue this matter legally. First, the circular of the Director of Public Prosecutions rests the responsibility to investigate police abuse and police behaviour on IPOA. "From here, we shall record a complaint at IPOA... After that, we shall institute a suit to compel the IPOA and the National Police Service Commission to interdict the police officers who are involved in the act that has been committed," he stated.

Meanwhile, social media influencer Francis Gaitho acknowledged the police report seeking his arrest and stated that he was consulting with his lawyers on the way forward. The influencer is a vocal critic of the government and through his pages, he has been sharing highlights of the anti-government protests.