.jpg) |
| Muhuri director Khelef Khalifa |
Muhuri director Khelef Khalifa has been released after he was detained by a multi-agency team of police for almost four hours.
Khalifa was arrested at Mida Creek, just before getting to Watamu, in Kilifi county around 10 am.
He was with his family, going to attend a wedding of one of his family members in Malindi.
Khalifa was arrested at Mida Creek, just before getting to Watamu, in Kilifi county around 10 am.
However, Kilifi County police commander Fatuma Ali said Khalifa encountered the normal police checks on the road when he refused to cooperate.
“Nobody is above the law. The man refused to obey orders during a routine police check. But in the end, the problem was resolved,” Ali said.
Speaking to the Star on the phone after his release, Khelef said his only crime was to ask the security officers why they had covered their faces and failed to identify themselves.
“I was driving with my family to Malindi when all of a sudden these people stopped us asking us to come out of the car,” he said.
“I asked them a very simple question. Why were they covering their faces? I could not recognise them.”
“They had no name tags on them as ordered by the courts. In fact, it is in law that they have to identify themselves and display their name tags on their uniform.”
Kilifi County police commander said Khalifa refused to comply with the normal security check protocol including identifying himself.
“Of course, it was a friendly police security check,” she said.
However, Khalifa said despite his protests, they still did not identify themselves, remove their balaclavas or display their name tags.
“I stood my ground,” he said.
Khalifa claims that the officers took his car keys and ID card before driving him to the Malindi police station where they held him for close to three hours.
After close to four hours, having been booked, he was forced to pay a Sh10,000 bond.
But Khalifa said he will sue the team that harassed him and his family saying his rights were infringed.
Muhuri’s rapid response officer Francis Auma said he was shaken by the incident.
“We are worried. He is a senior human rights defender in the country, not a criminal. What they did to him and his family is criminal,” Auma said.
“We fear for our safety. Colleagues have been making frantic calls and worries about him and plus in general.”
Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga was among the people who made frantic calls trying to establish the facts of the incident.
“Why are they arresting the family? The police are now arresting activists in the presence of their families to intimidate them as well,” Mutunga said on his X account.
by BRIAN OTIENO