Bill Choja Okane
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have confirmed the arrest of Police Constable Hiram Kimathi. Kimathi was taken into custody at his home in the Kambakia area of Makutano, Meru County, following an intelligence-led operation.
The arrest, which occurred around 1 pm on Friday, August 1, is reportedly linked to the formation of a controversial group known as Fighting Brutality and Impunity (FBI).
Kimathi’s detention comes just days after two of his associates, Jackson Kuria Kimani,also known as Cop Shakur, and former Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer Patrick Osoi were apprehended. According to detectives, the three are believed to be the masterminds behind the group, which claims to be fighting against impunity.
Earlier in July, Kimathi made headlines after he publicly refused a transfer to Todonyang, Turkana County. He took to social media to voice his objections, stating he had been moved from Kyumbi Police Station near Machakos Junction to the remote Todonyang Police Station, located on the Kenya-Ethiopia border.
In a controversial video, Kimathi alleged that the transfer was a government tactic to intimidate officers who resist compliance with the regime. He also shared a letter instructing him to report to the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) at Todonyang for further directions.
Since his arrest, Kimathi’s lawyers have criticized the authorities for failing to disclose the reasons for his detention. The DCI confirmed that he is currently undergoing processing ahead of his arraignment.
A few days prior, Cop Shakur faced a similar arrest outside Kahawa Law Courts, where he had come to support Patrick Osoi. Shakur, a former Kenya Prisons Service officer, was stopped by police en route to court and recorded the incident.
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