February 9, 2025
DCI Re-Arrests Kilifi Protesters Minutes After Court Sets Them Free

DCI Re-Arrests Kilifi Protesters Minutes After Court Sets Them Free

According to Sofia Rajab, a human rights lawyer based in Kilifi, ten protesters were brought before the Chief Magistrate Court in Kilifi and charged with unlawful assembly and other related offenses.

Katherine Mwanase, a well-known Kilifi activist, was arrested along with two others.

On Wednesday, July 3, however, the magistrate released all of the suspects following a lengthy court session, and Rajab shared photos of the released Kenyans – but under unusual circumstances.

Rajab claimed that shortly after being released by the court, the Kilifi police re-arrested each of them and threw them back into the cells.

Seeking to explain why the protesters were arrested again despite the court order, Rajab claimed that the police lured them to the police station to collect their valuables, only to be re-arrested.

She wrote: “So the police filed a miscellaneous application seeking to detain the suspects for 10 days to allow for investigations. We anticipated this would happen.

“Btw, they added other protesters who were arrested the night  before- we only knew 7 mins before the hearing when we were served.

“We represented all of them. And not only did we kill it, we embarrassed them and they felt some type of way. Now, we leave court happy taking selfies and an IO (Investigating Officer) calls the now-released persons to collect confiscated items (phones, bike etc).

“The lawyers advise against this. Because a group of DCI officers were lurking in the corner and it looked suspicious. We told them to go home and come back another day.

“The material items are not worth your freedom. Go enjoy it after a night in jail. But they trusted the police. As soon as they enter the DCI office…handcuffs. They claim that the Court did NOT order their release.

“Meanwhile, its around 5pm, the order is yet to be extracted, but the Court staff made sure to stay behind until the order was typed, stamped and signed. By then, DCI vanished.

“So our clients were taken to Kilifi Police Station and will spend the night there. We live to fight another day. They will be charged tomorrow…for what? We shall find out in the morning.”

This comes as all 187 protesters arrested during Tuesday’s anti-government demonstrations, including children, were released on bond.

DCI Re-Arrests Kilifi Protesters Minutes After Court Sets Them Free

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