Lawyers accuse state of harassing DCP youth leaders under the guise of demonstrations
Representing one of the suspects, Peter Kinyanjui Wanjiru, lawyers led by Kibe Mungai, Ndegwa Njiru and Kiragu wa Nduta told Ruiru Chief Magistrate Joseph Were that the police are being used for political mischief
Lawyers representing two youth leaders arrested in connection with last week’s violent demonstrations have accused the state of targeting them because they are officials of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).
Representing one of the suspects, Peter Kinyanjui Wanjiru, lawyers led by Kibe Mungai, Ndegwa Njiru and Kiragu wa Nduta told Ruiru Chief Magistrate Joseph Were that the police are being used for political mischief.
The prosecution led by state counsel Duncan Ondimu had made a miscellaneous application before the Ruiru Chief Magistrate’s court seeking to hold Kinyanjui who is the Kiambu county DCP Party youth leader, for 21 days to complete investigations into a case of arson and destruction of administrative buildings in Kikuyu sub county.
A similar application was made another application before the Kiambu High Court in which the state wants to detain Wanjiku Thiga, who is DCP’s national youth coordinator for a similar number of days to complete investigations.
“The respondent was never implicated or involved in any of the violent demonstrations. He is here because he is the Kiambu County youth leader, if he wasn’t he would not be here today. The courts should not be used to sanitize clear political agendas” said Mungai.
He accused the prosecution of harbouring an ulterior and mischievous motive of seeking to incarcerate Kinyanjui as they try to obtain additional evidence.
Kiragu dismissed the prosecution’s contention that the respondent was a flight risk saying his residence in Limuru is well known by the police from where they picked him up.
“No evidence has been submitted to court to show he had any role to play in the alleged criminal offences to convince the court that his constitutional right to freedom should be limited,” argued Kiragu.
The magistrate adjourned his ruling on the submissions by both the prosecution and the defence to Friday, July 4, 2025. He also directed that Kinyanjui should continue being held at the Ruiru police station until then.
Earlier, the court disallowed a plea by the defence lawyers to cross examine the investigating officer Justus Oketch of the Kikuyu DCI station.
The lawyers had demanded to carry out a cross examination of the affidavit sworn by Oketch, claiming it was riddled with falsehoods.
