Drama as Kilifi protesters are re-arrested Moments after being set free by court.
The magistrate freed all the suspects after a court session, however, the Kilifi police re-arrested every one of them.
Rajab Stated, “So we managed to get them released…then they got lured into another police trap and re-arrested. So the police filed a miscellaneous application seeking to detain the suspects for 10 days to allow for investigations. We anticipated this would happen. Btw, they added other protesters who were arrested the night before- we only knew 7 mins before the hearing when we were served.”
She Added: We represented all of them. And not only did we kill it, we embarrassed them and they felt some type of way. Now, we leave court happy taking selfies and an IO (Investigating Officer) calls the now-released persons to collect confiscated items (phones, bike etc). The lawyers advise against this.
“Because a group of DCI officers were lurking in the corner and it looked suspicious. We told them to go home and come back another day. The material items are not worth your freedom. Go enjoy it after a night in jail. But they trusted the police.
“As soon as they enter the DCI office…handcuffs. They claim that the Court did NOT order their release. Meanwhile, its around 5pm, the order is yet to be extracted, but the Court staff made sure to stay behind until the order was typed, stamped and signed. By then, DCI vanished.
“So our clients were taken to Kilifi Police Station and will spend the night there. We live to fight another day. They will be charged tomorrow…for what? We shall find out in the morning.”
Confirming the story was K-town Photography, a Kilifi-based professional photographer who stated,”Police calling themselves DCI officers in kilifi were asked to release the arrested peaceful protestors in Kilifi yesterday by the law court of Kilifi. They asked them to go for their IDs and phones and have decided to rearrest them WITHOUT cause!”