Police want to detain Boniface Mwangi, four others for 21 days over demos

Activist Boniface Mwangi is hurled into a police vehicle by plain cloth police officers along Koinange Street on Thursday, July 25, 2024. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]

The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is seeking to detain activist Boniface Mwangi and four other protesters for 21 days to allow them to complete investigations.

In an application filed at Milimani Law Courts, the DCI is seeking custodial orders against Mwangi, Robert Otieno, Albert Wambugu, Pablo Chacha, and Erot Franco to enable its officers to complete a probe over allegations of false publication, unlawful assembly, and creating a disturbance.

Through Inspector of Police George Karanja, the DCI says Mwangi and the other four suspects' place of abode is still unknown, and releasing them on bail may jeopardise the investigations.

"That I am investigating a case of false publication contrary to section 22(1) of the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crime Act, creating a disturbance in a manner likely to cause a breach of security and taking part in an unlawful assembly contrary to section 78(1) and 79 of the Penal Code.

Police, in court papers seen by The Standard, accuse the protesters of blocking Koinange Street within the CBD, inconveniencing other road users.

Their mobile phones have also been seized, which police say will allow them to subject the devices to cyber forensics for analysis.

Mwangi was among protesters arrested yesterday in Nairobi, during a march to honour victims of police brutality.

He was booked at Central Police Station, together with others.