Nairobi, Kenya Jan 9- Former Interior CS Matiang’i moves to court seeking anticipatory bail following claims that police surrounded his home last night; says he is under threat of arrest and his rights are being violated.
Matiangi lawyers on Thursday morning moved to court court to seek anticipatory bail. They fault police for failing to even visit Matiangi after failed search of home.
Matiang’i argued he is under imminent threat of arrest by the police and is justifiably apprehensive that his constitutional rights are being violated.
His layers Danstan Omari and Sam Nyaberi made the application in court.
Omari responded to IG Koome utterances that his police officers were not involved in the raid.
Omari raised 3 questions;
- We’ve spent the whole night at the Cs place,why has any police officer come to confirm what has happened to the CS?
- If indeed they were not police officers, why has the police officers come to the scene of crime
- If they were not police officers, who were they , and whose responsibility to protect Matiang’i
He argued that it’s the responsibility of the police to protect the former Cs.
“If foreigners come to Matiang’i’s place and attack him, it’s the work of the police to act swiftly.” He added
Police and anti-graft agencies have denied they were involved in the said attempted search.
Officials said it could be part of a scheme to harass former government officials.
This has prompted condemnation from various quarters.
Omari said unless the orders are granted he together with his family members and people close to him will continue living in a sad state of fear and anxiety as they are not aware of when and how the police would pounce on them.
He asked the court to issue conservatory order restraining the state of their servants, agents, junior officers, and/or anybody from effecting and/or anybody from arresting, charging, harassing, or otherwise however interfering with him.
He asked the court to stop the police and government from harassing him without conducting investigations and according to him an opportunity to be heard to wit issuing him with a summons for him to appear at any offices to record statement(s) if need be.
The lawyer said on February 9 at night his home was raided, surrounded and cordoned off by police officers who were seeking to arrest him.
He said police officers only retreated after the media and his lawyers arrived.
He said the reason for his arrest is to stop him from attending the burial of his late colleague George Magoha slated for this Saturday, February 11.
Further, he claims his harassment comes barely days after his remarks at Magoha’s home.
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