Boniface Mwangi released after brief lockup in police cell
Human rights activist Boniface Mwangi has been released from police custody barely two hours after being arrested and taken to the Central Police Station in Nairobi.
His release came shortly after a statement outlining the charges he is likely to face went viral on social media.
According to a written statement by the police at Central Police Station, the activist had been arrested on charges of organizing a ‘revolution likely to cause civil unrest and also cause a breach of peace’.
Shortly after his arrest, Mwangi had been the top trending topic on Twitter for the better part of Monday afternoon.
Police have arrested activist-cum-politician Boniface Mwangi in the capital Nairobi. The detectives picked up Mr Mwangi from his home on Monday afternoon. pic.twitter.com/2lKPXFTUez
— Daily Nation (@dailynation) May 6, 2019
REVOLUTION
“I was told that I’m part of a group planning a revolution, kuna watu ambao wanapanga kuuza serikali. I don’t know if those people are military or civilian or civil society,” Mwangi told journalists soon after his release.
“It is a waste of taxpayers’ money to sermon someone on allegation of mere rumours. If people are tired and they want to revolt, it’s their right to revolt,” he further said.
According to Mwangi’s lawyer Mbugua Mureithi, the DCI did not need to send his officers to pick Mwangi up.
VIDEO: Activist Boniface Mwangi released after “revolution” lands him in police cells. pic.twitter.com/P5V37XspIk
— Nairobi News (@Nairobi_News) May 6, 2019
FREEDOM
“Boniface is and will always be available in case he is needed. We are just a phone call away. No need to send four officers to come for him,” said Mureithi.
He went on to add that the government knows how to deal with a revolution in the making and that they have the answers.
But even as Mwangi got back his freedom, the DCIO at Central Police Station, Martin Kobina, denied that the activist had been arrested.
The police boss said no DCI officers went to Mwangi’s house to arrest him, claiming that the activist took himself to the police station.