Jimi Wanjigi family narrates how harrowing nine-hour ordeal at the hands of police

Police forces breached the home of businessman Jimi Wanjigi unleashing what his family has described as a harrowing nine-hour ordeal.

The standoff began at around 5 pm when police surrounded Wanjigi’s Muthaiga home, demanding entry. By 7 pm, the situation escalated as the officers breached the doors, triggering what would become a relentless series of searches. According to Wanjigi’s son, Maina, the police forcibly entered the home, claiming they needed to conduct an investigation.

Maina Wanjigi, the son of the embattled businessman, provided a vivid account of the night, alleging that the police violently broke down the main door and initiated an aggressive search of the home.

Maina alleged that the police assaulted his entire family, with masked officers beating him and his mother and sister. “They kicked my mother and sister in the head while they were lying on the floor,” he said, his voice tinged with frustration.

“I was beaten by five officers, while my mother and sister were forced to lie on the floor and were kicked in the head.”

The search continued for hours, with police confiscating electronic devices, including iPhones, iPads, and walkie-talkies. The family’s lawyer, Willis Otieno, confirmed the account, stating, “The police took everything they considered evidence, even trivial items like a fuelling receipt.”

But the terror didn’t end there. At 6 am on Friday, the officers returned for a second raid, cutting off power and WiFi before storming the bedrooms. “Masked men dragged us from our beds, pointing assault rifles at us,” Maina narrated.

“At 6am in the morning. My clients were woken up by marauding men jumping in their rooms, wearing balaclavas and carrying assault rifles, pointing them at my clients and forcing them out of their beds,” remarked Otieno.

He went on to narrate, “They then went up and down the house, purportedly conducting a search.”

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The police’s actions have been met with outrage from the Wanjigi family, who see the raid as a deliberate act of persecution. The family has compared the incident to a similar raid in 2017, during which Wanjigi’s home was under siege for over 48 hours.

That raid, too, involved allegations of police misconduct, with claims that officers assaulted Wanjigi’s wife for recording the destruction.

“The police came to humiliate us and to degrade us, but one thing that I can take out of today, is that I have never been prouder to Wanjigi’s daughter,” remarked Wambui Wanjigi, daughter to the besieged businessman.

As the dust settles on this latest raid, Wanjigi remains a wanted man. Acting Police Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli has accused him of harbouring security threats, claiming that a vehicle at Wanjigi’s residence contained tear gas canisters intended for use in protests.

“Our intelligence indicated that there were plans to infiltrate today’s protests and cause havoc. We intercepted a personal vehicle at Wanjigi’s residence and found the canisters,” Masengeli alleged.

Despite the serious accusations, Wanjigi has yet to turn himself in, opting instead to sue the government over what he describes as an unlawful raid.

The police have remained tight-lipped, offering no further statements on the events at Wanjigi’s home, leaving many questions unanswered.

Jimi Wanjigi’s wife pleads “don’t shoot me” as paramilitary unit storms their Muthaiga home. Police claim they found paraphanelia on his property that could link him to the recent protests in Kenya. pic.twitter.com/IrN7gqq0R2
— John-Allan Namu (@johnallannamu) August 9, 2024