- Veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho mistakenly arrested at Karen Police Station
- Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI) confirmed it was a case of mistaken identity
- Gaitho's daughter confirmed his safety and recounted the events on social media
Veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho experienced a harrowing ordeal on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 morning when he was mistakenly arrested by police at the Karen Police Station.
The incident has since been clarified as a case of mistaken identity by the Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Mohamed Amin.
Gaitho was taken into custody while at the Karen Police Station. The DCI has since issued an apology for the error.
"We are sorry to Gaitho. It was a case of mistaken identity," said Amin. He further explained that the authorities were actually looking for another individual with the same name.
The National Police Service on their part said the incident is highly regretabble and revealed theywere after Francis Gaitho.
"The National Police Service would like to clarify to the public that this morning, we arrested journalist Macharia Gaitho in a case of mistaken identity, meant for the arrest of Francis Gaitho who is our subject of investigation," said NPS.
Gaitho's daughter confirms father's safety
The journalist's daughter, Anita Gaitho, took to X to confirm her father's safety and recount the events of the morning.
"I’m with my dad @MachariaGaitho. He’s just been brought to Karen Police Station by the car that abducted him," she tweeted.
Anita also mentioned that her father had been roughed up during the incident but was otherwise safe. "We’re making the abduction report right now," she added.
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Details of Macharia Gaitho's abduction
The arrest occurred under dramatic circumstances. Gaitho was reportedly with his son when their vehicle was intercepted by a Subaru as they were leaving their home. In an attempt to evade the situation, Gaitho drove to the Karen Police Station, where he was forcefully bundled into a car.
A video circulating on social media shows the journalist being manhandled into a white Probox by individuals in civilian clothes, while police officers looked on.
The footage has raised concerns about the treatment of journalists and the conduct of law enforcement officials.
Below is the video showing the earlier abduction of Gaitho:
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Public reactions
The arrest and subsequent apology have sparked a public outcry, with many expressing concerns given the recent abductions.
Gaitho's colleagues and supporters have called for a thorough investigation into the incident and for those responsible to be held accountable.