Top-lawyer Cliff Marube Ombeta has fired back at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for quickly jumping into action after a warrant of arrest was issued against controversial blogger Cyprian Nyakundi.
A magistrate on Tuesday issued a warrant of arrest against the blogger for failing to appear in court to plead to the charges of publishing false information.
Nyakundi is accused of claiming that a senior Kenya Revenue Authority had died of coronavirus disease.
The blogger was arrested three weeks ago and freed on police bond pending plea taking.
But on Monday, the investigating officer Issac Tenai of DCI Central sought an arrest warrant against him for skipping court session.
Shortly after an arrest warrant was issued, DCI took to their social media handles to publish that Nyakundi is a wanted person.
DCI went ahead to order Nyakundi to to present himself at the said office or at his nearest Police station immediately.
“#WANTED| Mr. Cyprian Andama Nyakundi is WANTED by the @DCI_Kenya Regional Criminal Investigations Office – Nairobi following the issuance of a warrant of arrest in respect of him from the Chief Magistrate’s Court Milimani after he failed to attend Court as expected.
“The order follows a case of Publication of False Information Contrary to Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crime Act filed against him by a complainant. Mr. Nyakundi is hereby ordered to present himself at the said office or at his nearest Police station immediately,” DCI posted.
But while responding to the post, lawyer Ombeta who has represented blogger Nyakundi in several cases trashed the claims.
Ombeta argued that issuing an arrest warrant against Nyakundi was totally malicious. According to Ombeta, Nyakundi should not be arrested for failing to appear in court since all courts are currently closed.
Chief Justice David Maraga said in a press conference on Tuesday suspended open courts and directed proceedings to be conducted remotely in compliance with health safety rules against Covid-19.
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https://kenyanbulletin.com/2020/03/23/why-is-the-dci-harassing-bloggers/
