Embakasi East MP Babu Owino was released yesterday after two nights in police cells.
Babu was arrested by Flying Squad detectives outside Parliament Buildings on Friday afternoon over assault and malicious damage to property allegations and detained at Parklands police station.
But the MP linked his incarceration to politics around the petition filed against his elections win.
The first-time MP was released after the intervention of legislators including Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja. Babu said his arrest was in connection with the petition filed against his victory in August 8 general elections.
“My petitioner came here and locked himself in Parklands DCIO’s office with him [DCIO] together with the alleged complainant in this case. I don’t know what they were discussing,” Babu said.
“But I received information that the plans were to make me be viewed by the judge hearing the petition as a violent person because one of the grounds they want my victory be nullified on is that am violent.”
Other MPs who were at the Parklands police station were Makadara, Mathare and Suna East MPs George Aladwa, Anthony Oluoch and Junet Mohamed respectively, and Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga.
Sakaja condemned the political intimidation of Babu and warned police to remain professional.
Sakaja said days when police would put a suspect and hold him for days are gone. Oluoch said the arrest and detention of Babu is politically motivated to make him look a violent person before the eyes of the judge hearing a petition against his election win.
“This is something we have been following very closely. It is very unfortunate that for an alleged misdemeanor that Babu had to sped needless hours in detention on what we consider to be something he could have been released on his own bond,” Oluoch said.