Karua questions EACC motive behind the arrest Oparanya
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Azimio co-principal, Martha Karua alleges of political witchaunt on the arrest of ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya
Azimio co-principal, Martha Karua alleges of political witchaunt on the arrest of ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya by EACC.
Martha Karua has alleged that she was blocked from seeing former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya after he was arrested by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission officers on Wednesday, August 23.
The Azimio Principal said in a statement on Thursday that she and other lawyers had attempted to speak with the governor at Integrity Centre when they were allegedly barred by officers.
Even when members of the opposition Azimio coalition objected, Karua claimed that the EACC officers dictated who could access the ODM Deputy Party leader.
“You behaved in an opaque manner and abused power in his arrest and detention. You barred us as lawyers from accessing Oparanya at your offices and dictated who could or could not access him thus violating the law,” she claimed.
“As public officers, you are required to operate within the law. Is your statement factual and accurate or is it political?”
In addition, Oparanya lawyers, Mr. Danstan Omari poked holes into his client’s arrest, amounting it to political intimidation.
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“They raided the houses without a search warrant and they even went further to arrest the spouses. This has never happened. will be talking with Azimio to instruct me to move to disband the EACC,” Omari stated.
Hours after the arrest, the EACC released a statement where it claimed that the former county chief had been arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of public funds amounting to over Ksh1.3 billion during his tenure as Kakamega Governor.
According to the EACC, the arrest of Oparanya and subsequent raids at his homes in Nairobi and Western were within the law even as the agency scrambled to urge leaders to desist from politicising the matter.
However, he was released thereafter, after recording a statement about the alleged loss of funds.
Nonetheless, the former Governor will be required to present himself for further questioning in the coming days before a file is presented to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) with recommendations on charges to be preffered.
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