#BILLYISFREE: The Crazy Nairobian Finally Released After Intense Pressure From Kenyans
Kenyan content creator Billy Simani, also known as “Crazy Nairobian,” was released from police custody on Saturday night after being detained for hours.
Faith Odhiambo, President of the Law Society of Kenya, played an important role in his release.
“As LSK, we earlier thought he had freed. But when we sent someone to the station we found that he was not there and had not been released,” she said.
“When we got a tip-off, we swung into action to get him out of the situation.”
He announced his freedom in a video with Faith Odhiambo, president of the Law Society of Kenya.
“I am safe thanks to everyone thanks to LSK,” he said in the video released at about 10 pm.
Free at last pic.twitter.com/JFFgmCJ0Im
— Faith Odhiambo (@FaithOdhiambo8) June 22, 2024
They were at a restaurant they had driven to after his release to eat.
On Saturday, 25 human rights organizations representing content creators, lawyers, medical officers, and human rights defenders across the country urged the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to clarify the location of the content creator.
The agencies included the Bloggers Association of Kenya, The Law Society, the Kenya Medical Association, and the Defenders Coalition, the Independent Medical Legal Union and Amnesty International Kenya.
Joint Statement on the Arbitrary Arrests of Content Creators.#JusticeforAll pic.twitter.com/jQv65STaCL
— Law Society of Kenya (@LawSocietyofKe) June 22, 2024
Simani’s family and friends said he had been missing since Friday. Many online users attributed the release to their efforts.
Previously, there were conflicting reports and confusion when police released another detained content creator, Kevin Wafula Bwire, from Muthaiga police station.
This led those present to mistake him for Simani. Simani was not detained, according to Muthaiga police.
They claimed they had only had Bwire since Friday when he was taken there by a team from DCI headquarters.
Bwire said he was told to be prepared for a court appearance on Monday.
Blogger Dennis Itumbi, who had advocated for Simani’s release, claimed he had been misled and misinformed about the situation.
“The content creator arrested for threatening a senior public servant is WAFULA BWIRE – he was FREED this evening after the complaint was withdrawn. His relatives received him,” Itumbi said.
Stephen Kariuki, who had been detained in Nakuru for a similar offense, was also released.
“So, where is Billy? Anyone with details on where he was arrested, please DM me. Let us trace him, I have also requested the Police to check if Billy Simani is in their custody,” added Itumbi in the post.
Other content creators, human rights organizations, and lawyers pushed for Simani and others’ release.
A Space on X, formerly Twitter, was created to discuss the issue, and it garnered the attention of over 55,000 followers, including President William Ruto.
He was arrested Friday on suspicion of sending threatening messages to an undisclosed person.
Simani is among those detained in connection with ongoing protests against a proposed tax increase.
#BILLYISFREE: The Crazy Nairobian Finally Released After Intense Pressure From Kenyans
