Police seek to detain activist for two weeks
Activist Mutemi Kiama is set to spend his second night behind bars pending a ruling on whether he will be released on bail or detained.
The activist was arrested on Tuesday and presented before Milimani Law Court, in Nairobi, the following day where Police filed an application seeking to detain him for two weeks so as to allow them to conclude investigations.
“Owing to the complexity and nature of the cases, we require up to 14 days to enable us to carry out comprehensive and in-depth investigations,” read part of the affidavit signed by DCI officer Patrick Kibowen.
In an affidavit filed before the court, officer Kibowen said he is investigating a case of suspected contravention of several provisions of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act which include false publication contrary to section 22(1) as read with section 22(2) (b) thereof.
According to the investigating officer suspected offences allegedly occurred on different occasions between April 5 and 6, 2021 by way of publication on social media.
The DCI officer further noted that twitter handles Mwarimu wa Kiama @ MutemiWaKiama and Wanjiku Revolution @WanjikuRevolt on which the suspected criminal publication was made is linked to the activist.
The activist is accused of publishing on social media, a photo of the President with his ID number alongside a notice that reads, “This is to notify the World at large that the person whose photograph and names appear above is not authorized to act or transact on behalf of the citizens of the Republic of Kenya and that the Nation and our future generations shall not be held liable for any penalties of bad loans negotiated and/or borrowed by him.”
In justifying why, they should hold Mutemi for a further 14 days the investigating officer said that if Mutemi is released he might delete the tweets
The officer also noted that they are still pursuing other persons believed to have colluded with Mutemi.