The family of prominent businessman and politician Jimi Wanjigi has come forward with harrowing details of a 12-hour ordeal at the hands of police officers who forcefully entered their home in Muthaiga, Nairobi, on Thursday night. The raid, which has since been described by the family’s lawyer as an “armed robbery” disguised as a police operation, has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about the conduct of law enforcement in Kenya.
The nightmare began at approximately 7:00 p.m. when a group of masked police officers, armed with assault rifles, broke into the Wanjigi residence. According to Jimi Wanjigi’s son, Maina Wanjigi, the officers assaulted the family, including his mother and sister, as they conducted a search of the premises. Speaking to the press, Maina recounted how the officers, after ordering the family to lie on the floor, kicked them in the head in an effort to force them into compliance.
“They did a thorough search till about 4:00 a.m.,” Maina revealed. “As a family, we thought it was over, but then at about 6:00 a.m., masked individuals came and dragged us out of our beds, saying they wanted to search even more.” The second search was equally invasive, leaving the family in a state of confusion and fear. “Let’s say the current state we’re now in is that the power is cut, wifi is down, and we don’t know why they wanted to do two different searches,” Maina added.
The officers reportedly took away several items, including iPhones, iPads, walkie-talkies used for house communication, and even a receipt for buying fuel. However, the most disturbing aspect of the incident, according to the family, was the theft of valuable items during the second search. Wanjigi’s lawyer, Willis Otieno, condemned the actions of the officers, labeling the raid as a politically motivated attack rather than a legitimate police operation.
“In the process, they stole items and valuables belonging to the family members, disconnected power, interfered with the systems. They carried valuables, watches, jewellery, money, and also did illegal searches in some of the cars, including my own car, and carried away some of the files and money from the vehicle,” Otieno stated. He went on to accuse the officers of planting evidence at the scene to frame Wanjigi, citing claims by Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli that the police retrieved teargas canisters, police communication gadgets, and smoke grenades during the raid.
“They are claiming they discovered smoke grenades, jungle uniform; they are the ones who came with them,” Otieno countered. “In fact, one of the people inside the home saw one officer walking through the back carrying a blue bag that had three items that looked like mangoes—those are the smoke grenades. They came here to plant those things.”
The Wanjigi family has since confirmed their intention to take legal action against the officers involved in the raid. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, with many viewing it as an alarming example of the abuse of power by law enforcement in Kenya. As the Wanjigi family prepares to fight back in court, the case has raised critical questions about the intersection of politics, law enforcement, and human rights in the country.
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