Armed Police officers on Thursday August 8 night broke into the home of politician Jimi Wanjigi in Muthaiga, hours after one of his vehicles was intercepted outside his home.
According to Wanjigi’s lawyer Willis Otieno, police officers during the night raid accessed the businessman’s main house by breaking in through the main door.
He further said that the main door was heavily damaged during the operation as police moved from one room to the other.
Otieno said that police did not notify the family the reason behind the raid and what particular items were being sort after.
Also, it was reported that the operation involved a police multi-agency team comprised of different units such as General Service Unit (GSU) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers who were allegedly conducting a search without a search warrant.
At the time, Wanjigi was confirmed as safe wherever he was despite acting Inspector General of Police (IG) Gilbert Masengeli asked him to surrender himself to the nearest police station.
The break-in happened after Masengeli while making the appeal confirmed that investigators were at Wanjigi’s home to collect more details.
Addressing journalists at Jogoo House in Nairobi after the Nane Nane protests, the acting IG said that the raid witnessed at Wanjigi’s home came after police intercepted a vehicle linked to him.
Further, Masengeli revealed that there is another motor vehicle that had managed to enter inside Jimi Wanjigi’s compound, with police unable to intercept it as the gate was immediately closed after it managed to sneak in.
Police IG Reveals Items Found in Vehicle Linked to Jimi Wanjigi
The acting IG said that police were able to recover items inside the intercepted vehicle, adding that an arrest has since been made following the operation.
“We wish to inform the public that today we intercepted a personal motor vehicle in Muthaiga at the residence of Jimi Wanjigi. In the vehicle, we have recovered four teargas cannisters, two Motorola gadgets, seven assorted chargers for the pocket phones and one mobile phone. There is one arrest that has happened,” said Masengeli.
Also Read: NPS Clarifies on Police Raiding Wanjigi’s Home
Jimi’s son Maina while speaking to the press following the raid lamented that it is not the first time that their family home has been raided.
“It’s not the first time we’ve been raided. It seems that whenever we are a threat to them, they decide to raid us. This is all in the spirit of political freedom,” remarked Maina.
“Why when you show opinion against the government you have to be victimized like this?”
Lawyer Speaks
On his part, Wanjigi’s lawyer said that the raid was political motivated, further adding that the politician has faced it before and that they are prepared for any eventuality.
However, the lawyer did not speak on Wanjigi’s whereabouts, pointing out that they will address the press on Friday.
Politician Jimi Wanjigi has been vocal about the Gen Z-led Nane Nane protests, which took place on Thursday.
He is also a fierce critic of President William Ruto’s regime.
He has called out Ruto and the previous administration of Uhuru Kenyatta for running down the economy and for their insatiable appetite for loans.
Also Read: Questions as Police Surround Jimi Wanjigi’s Home Amid Nane Nane Protests
The youth vowed to fight for good governance by sustaining protests across the country, until their issues and demands are addressed by President William Ruto’s administration.
Meanwhile, acting IG Masengeli during the briefing said that Police arrested 174 individuals nationwide during the Nane Nane anti-government protests.
Suspects Arrested During Nane Nane
Masengeli noted that the protests recorded a low turnout across the country with minimal instances of looting and property damage.
“Unlike the recent demonstrations that were marred with wanton destructions of property, looting, injuries and loss of lives, today the country remained peaceful, and normalcy prevailed, except in Nairobi where one officer was injured,” said the acting Police IG.
He added, “Minimal skirmishes were witnessed in Downtown Nairobi, Kisii and Migori towns where attempts by goons to loot property was effectively thwarted by Officers.”
Masengeli similarly highlighted that several arrests were made in Nairobi, Kitengela and Emali for attempts to disturb the peace and disrupt normalcy.
“We also arrested a total of 174 suspects that is, 126 in Nairobi, 22 in Kitengela-Rift Valley, and 26 at Emali-Makueni County,” he said.
The police boss went ahead to note that organizers of the Nane Nane protests failed to notify security organs of their planned actions as stipulated by the law.
He, nevertheless, noted that police officers were up to the task and deployed accordingly to avert chaos.
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