There was drama in Kilifi after many demonstrators were re-arrested minutes after being released by the court.
According to Sofia Rajab, a human rights lawyer based in Kilifi, the demonstrators, numbering about ten, were brought before the Chief Magistrate Court in Kilifi to face charges of unlawful gathering and other related offences.
Katherine Mwanase, a renowned Kilifi activist, was among the arrested demonstrators, along with two others.
However, following a lengthy court session on Wednesday, July 3, the magistrate released all of the suspects, and Rajab tweeted images of the released Kenyans – albeit under unusual circumstances.
Rajab claimed that shortly after they were released by the court, the Kilifi police arrested them all again and threw them into cells.
“So we managed to get them released…then they got lured into another police trap and re-arrested!” She wrote.
Seeking to explain exactly what led to the fresh arrest, despite the court order, Rajab said that the protesters were lured by the police to go and collect their valuables at the police station – only to be re-arrested.
She wrote: “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.”
“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.”
