Police storm ex-CS Matiang'i's Karen home

He was handcuffed as another team made its way into the main house. The officers are said to have spent almost one hour in the house, turning things upside down before dismantling the CCTV system, according to Omari.

Against court order

"They ransacked the house, turning it upside down; we don't know what they were looking for but they carried away some items, including the dismantled CCTV. They did this against a court order barring them from accessing the home," said Omari.

The raid came after a Nairobi court rejected a request by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to order a private security firm to supply it with the CCTV footage from the home of the former Interior CS. The DCI, in its application before the Milimani Chief Magistrate's Court, said it is investigating an alleged robbery incident at the former minister's home. The applicant dismissed claims by Matiang'i that the police raided his home.

Magistrate Wandia Nyamu, however, ordered the DCI to instead serve Bob Morgan Security Services Limited, which guards the home, with the court papers and appear before the court on March 7.

Matiang'i's lawyers Omari and Shadrack Wambui informed the magistrate that police investigators had filed a similar application before a Kiambu court against a different security firm.

"I am investigating a case of alleged attempted robbery, contrary to section 297 of the Penal Code as per allegation in the public domain which has necessitated the making of the subject application. I have been duly authorised by the applicant (DCI) to swear this affidavit," Chief Inspector Eunice Njue said in her application.

Previous 'raid'

DCI boss Mohamed Amin wanted Bob Morgan Security Services, who guard the home of Dr Matiang'i, to provide CCTV footage of the night the police allegedly raided the home reportedly to arrest the former CS.

DCI has also obtained orders to extract CCTV footage from Amsec Security Services Limited under the same grounds. Njue, in the application filed before the Kiambu magistrate's court, said their investigations are seeking to reveal those involved in the alleged raid.

"The alleged raid was never sanctioned by the National Police Service. We want to unmask the identities of those involved," court papers read.

Last week, High Court judge Kanyi Kimondo ordered Matiang'i to deposit Sh200,000 as anticipatory bail to forestall his possible arrest.

Arresting Matiang'i

Matiang'i sought anticipatory bail following reports the government was planning to arrest him. In his application, he said a raid on his home was a political witch-hunt by President William Ruto's government.

He said confidential sources informed him that he was to be arrested by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and charged with abuse of office.

ODM leader Raila Odinga condemned the police action, saying it shows the country moving back to a police state. He faulted the treatment of Matiang'i who just a few months ago was Interior CS.

"Fred Matiang'i doesn't need to be treated like a criminal," he said when he addressed the media at the former CS's Karen home.

Omari told the police to share a copy of the order upon which they executed their actions. "What they have done is illegal and contempt of court, which denied them orders," he said.

A press release by DCI showed it had obtained orders to obtain CCTV recordings from the home of the former CS as part of investigations on an earlier raid at the premises.