Police Reject Court Claims Amid Fuel Protest Arrest Debate

By Ongaga Ongaga
The National Police Service (NPS) has refuted social media claims suggesting that the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) of Nairobi’s Central Police Station was facing judicial processing.
Through a statement released on Tuesday, the authority characterized the assertions as ‘completely false and deceptive.’
‘These reports are inaccurate,’ stated Muchiri Nyaga, Director of Corporate Communication and NPS Spokesperson.
‘Court proceedings do not happen without justification; there must be a specific legal requirement fulfilled.’
The clarification emerges amid escalating tensions in Nairobi following the arrest of Chief Inspector Dishen Angoya, the OCS, earlier in the week for supposedly freeing 64 individuals detained during violent protests against rising fuel costs.
Civil society organizations, including the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), criticized the arrest, maintaining that OCS officers possess the authority to release suspects on police bail.
Activist Boniface Mwangi highlighted that Angoya had maintained his actions were legal and was ‘prepared to face court proceedings’ before being admitted to Lang’ata Hospital due to health issues.
The demonstrations that crippled public transportation in Nairobi and other urban centers witnessed confrontations between protesters and law enforcement, resulting in property destruction and vehicle burnings.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has initiated investigations into the disturbances, including the arson of a vehicle associated with a UDA politician along Thika Road.
Nyaga appealed to Kenyans to be discerning when accessing information online.
‘We recognize the rapidity and reach of social media but advise the public to seek and confirm reliable information on such issues directly from the National Police Service,’ he stated.