Rogue DCI officers attack Citizen TV journalists during grilling of Gachagua’s allies

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers on Thursday assaulted Citizen TV journalists and demanded that they delete videos they had recorded while waiting for Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa and former Limuru MP Peter Mwathi to arrive at the agency's headquarters in Nairobi.

The pair were there to be questioned about an incident at a funeral in Limuru where thugs disrupted the event and chased away former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Journalists, especially from Citizen TV, including photographer Agnes Oloo and the author of this piece, were ambushed by the DCI officers.

They were led by an officer who forcibly seized their cameras and demanded the deletion of videos they had recorded, threatening to break the cameras if they refused.

TV47 journalist William Moiga also had his phone seized, only to have it returned later.

DCI Director Amin Mohamed, along with the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, both condemned the incident.

"We apologize for what happened," said Mohamed.

Senator Thang’wa and Mwathi were questioned for the second time, shortly after being questioned in Nyeri, with DCI officers asking them to explain what they knew about the chaos witnessed in Limuru.

"We have insisted we have nothing to report. We are the victims of the attack," said Thang’wa's lawyer Ndegwa Njiru.

Both men emphasized that they were the ones attacked at the funeral and did not have any information about who funded the invasion.

"We have decided to remain silent. We are asking them to conduct a public inquiry," said Thang’wa.

Leaders who accompanied the Senator condemned the government, claiming it had targeted Gachagua's allies without valid reason.

"Those who carried out the invasion are on video; the government should go after them," said former Limuru Ward Rep. Mercy Nungari.

"We wonder why now the victim is being victimized," said Joseph Karichu, a leader from Lari.

Thang’wa and Mwathi were later allowed to leave.