Veteran Journalist Macharia Gaitho Plans to Sue the Police After Traumatizing Abduction

 In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…

• Veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho was abducted by police in a case he believes was premeditated, not mistaken identity.

• Gaitho plans to sue the police, while the intended target, Francis Gaitho, will present himself to authorities.

Veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho has voiced his skepticism about a supposed case of mistaken identity that led to his abduction by police on Wednesday morning. Gaitho described the ordeal as deeply traumatizing.

At the time of the incident, Gaitho was being driven by his son when police officers forcefully apprehended him. Gaitho firmly believes the incident was premeditated. 

Following his release from the Karen Police Station, he detailed his harrowing experience, raising several points that cast doubt on the legitimacy of his arrest.

"I don’t believe I was mistaken for Francis Gaitho, as I am twice his age," Gaitho stated. "Also, he doesn’t live where I live and doesn’t drive a car like mine. It is me they were trailing and looking for."

The encounter was extremely distressing for Gaitho. "It is extremely traumatizing because when you are abducted by unknown people who do not identify themselves, it is alarming," he explained. 

"When I asked them to identify themselves, they told me they have a Subaru, so I should know they are police and that they have guns. I told them anyone can drive a Subaru; it is not a preserve of the police. Secondly, all criminals have guns; therefore, that is not an identity. They refused to show their ID."

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Gaitho's ordeal continued at the Karen Police Station. "We drove right into the station, but those two cars followed us right inside and forced me into their car, a white Probox. I was sandwiched between two men in civilian clothes. I was handcuffed and assaulted. They were demanding to know why I was resisting arrest, and I told them I was not resisting arrest, I was resisting criminals. I don't know who you are, you have not identified yourselves, and up to now, as far as I am concerned, you are criminals."

Eventually, Gaitho was released after the officers realized their mistake. However, he remains skeptical of their explanation.

"They did not explain how it was mistaken identity. They did not explain how they could have trailed me near my home. As far as I am concerned, those are still criminals," he said.

Gaitho has vowed to file a suit against the police for the incident, declaring, "We cannot sit back and watch our country go back to being a police state. We cannot go back to the era of dictatorship where people are abducted."

In a related development, Francis Gaitho, the person whom the police claimed to be targeting, announced he would present himself to the police. 

"I will be presenting myself at DCI Headquarters, Mazingira House Kiambu Road at 2 pm today. Thank you for all the messages of concern. I’m truly humbled," he said. 

Francis Gaitho’s name recently emerged during a DCI press conference, where he was accused of misleading the public regarding another person of interest in the Mukuru bodies case.