Kenyan police have released veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho after mistakenly arresting him in a dramatic incident at a police station.
Gaitho said he was followed by two cars near his home in Nairobi. For safety, he and his son went to a nearby police station, where he was violently pushed into a private vehicle and driven away.
Police later admitted it was a case of mistaken identity; they were searching for Francis Gaitho, who is under investigation for discrediting police work on a suspected serial killer case.
Macharia Gaitho, who is not related to Francis Gaitho, said the arrest was related to his work as a journalist, as he often writes critical articles about the government for the Daily Nation. He plans to sue the police over the incident.
The police have apologized, calling the incident “highly regrettable” and insisted they do not target journalists.
The mix-up caused an uproar online, with many Kenyans accusing security officers of illegally abducting people linked to recent anti-government protests.
Francis Gaitho, a social media influencer, said he is consulting with lawyers and will present himself to the police. The police have accused him of posting false details about a suspect in a series of gruesome murders.
They named Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, 33, as the alleged serial killer, but Khalusha’s lawyer claims he was tortured into confessing.
Credit: BBC .
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgrl62gln78o