Former Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang’i, was recently the centre of attention when police officers surrounded his Karen home in an attempt to arrest him. The charges he was facing were not immediately clear, but the incident sparked a lot of speculation and debate.
Matiangi’s lawyers and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga were aware of the pending arrest and quickly come to his defence, and the arrest was ultimately prevented. But what really happened that night? Why did the police want to arrest Matiangi, and what was the role of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC)?
“Dr Fred Matiang’i is a fromer Interior CS, civility demands that the illegitimate regime in place accords him due process and his rights, We will not allow the dark days of repression to return. We shall stand behind him to the end,”
“I am not leaving Dr Matiangi’s home tonight until this matter is resolved. He can count on our support and solidarity as Azimio, Haramu haitalala! Kenya ni kubwa kushinda mtu yeyote mmoja!” Odinga tweeted at 11 PM.
The mystery surrounding his attempted arrest further deepened after Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kithure Kindiki, dismissed the alleged invasion of his predecessor’s home.
According to Citizen, High Court has now granted former Interior CS Matiang’i anticipatory bail after claims that he was under threat of arrest and his rights were being violated.
Matiang’i was Aware
On Wednesday evening, police officers arrived at Matiangi’s Karen home, just minutes before 10 PM. They tried to force their way into the former Cabinet Secretary’s house but were denied access by his security personnel.
Matiangi then informed his legal team about the situation, who went to his house to talk to the police officers. Matiang’i had already been tipped by some of his contacts still in government and was aware of a plan to arrest him. According to his lawyer, Sam Nyaberi, the police did not give enough details as to why they wanted to arrest Matiangi, leading to confusion and speculation.
A police source later claimed that the officers were from the EACC, but the head of the EACC, Twalib Mbarak, denied this claim, stating that his officers had nothing to do with the raid. It was later revealed that Matiangi had been informed about the raid earlier that day, and had alerted his lawyers to be on high alert. Despite this, the police still attempted to arrest him that night.
The Defense
Matiangi’s lawyers were quick to defend their client, stating that they did not understand why the police would come to arrest him in the dead of night. Lawyer Omari went so far as to camp out at Matiangi’s home, assuring the police officers that they would not be leaving until the following day. With over 200 lawyers present, the police were unable to make the arrest.
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The Aftermath
The attempted arrest of Fred Matiang’i has sparked a lot of debate and speculation, with many questioning the motives behind the police’s actions. Was this a political move, or was Matiangi actually facing charges? The EACC has denied any involvement, but the police have yet to comment on the situation. The incident has raised questions about the independence of the EACC and the role of the police in Kenya, and it is likely that it will be a hot topic in the coming weeks.
The attempted arrest of Fred Matiangi raises a lot of questions about the motives behind the police’s actions and the role of the EACC. While it is unclear what charges Matiangi was facing, it will be interesting to see how this situation develops in the coming days and weeks, and what new information comes to light.
