Police say vile Facebook man claiming to be officer arrested
Police Spokesman Charles Owino addressing the media in Nairobi in 2015. He has said the man, who identifies himself as “Alfie Kipchirchir” on Facebook over a series of messages in recent months has been arrested. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Mr Owino would, however, not state when “Kipchirchir” was arrested and whether he had been arraigned in any court of law.
In his Facebook photos, at times posing with friends, “Kipchirchir” appears as a stocky, middle-aged, dark-skinned man.
His latest Facebook post was on August 16, when he claimed to be at police headquarters at Vigilance House in Nairobi.
The mystery surrounding an online character who posts hateful and threatening messages but claims to be a police officer has deepened after the police spokesman said the man had been arrested — without providing any details.
In response to Nation enquiries, Police Spokesman Charles Owino said the man, who identifies himself as “Alfie Kipchirchir” on Facebook over a series of messages in recent months — including shortly before and after the August 8 elections — gloating about killing people in Kisumu and threatening to kill others has been arrested.
“The man was arrested about two weeks ago but the matter was now being handled by the CID (Directorate of Criminal Investigations),” he said.
Mr Owino would, however, not state when “Kipchirchir” was arrested and whether he had been arraigned in any court of law.
“I am yet to get the details of his arrest, whether or not he was taken to court or even released,” he said, referring the Nation to the DCI. The head of the DCI Ndegwa Muhoro did not immediately respond to our enquiries.
FACEBOOK POSTS
On his numerous Facebook posts, “Kipchirchir” identifies himself as a police inspector and openly poses for pictures to accompany his hateful messages.
Not only has “Kipchirchir” vowed to personally exterminate members of his targeted community, he has also threatened the lives of several select high-ranking politicians in the opposition.
As proof of his “seriousness”, the man has even posted pictures of a pistol and bullets which he claims he will use on the named political leaders.
In his Facebook photos, at times posing with friends, “Kipchirchir” appears as a stocky, middle-aged, dark-skinned man.
On several occasions, “Kipchirchir” has also showed his location and seems to divide his time between Nairobi and Kisumu. While in Nairobi, he has posted pictures with a bevy of women claiming to be in Karen and has also posed with two other friends, including a white man, while at a Kisumu hotel.
VIGILANCE HOUSE
His latest Facebook post was on August 16, when he claimed to be at police headquarters at Vigilance House in Nairobi.
In the Facebook posting, he boldly declares “State Agent 52. Blows your (expletive) head without thinking twice”. A previous post, sent on August 14, when he is pictured posing with three women, “Kipchirchir” bragged that he would be shooting people dead the following day.
The public, particularly on social media, has reacted by reporting the social media pages to the relevant authorities and calling on the police to arrest the man for incitement.
AG DENIES
Previous posts by “Kipchirchir”, including the ones posted in December last year, seem to have been deleted. His first social media posting is on August 11, three days after the elections.
In January, Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet denied claims that “Kipchirchir” is a police officer and encouraged anyone with any information about the man to come forward.
According to a previous Facebook accounts belonging to the same individual, “Kipchirchir” claims to have attended Meteitei High School in Nandi County.
He had also previously claimed that he worked as a field commander at the Kenya Police Training College, Kiganjo.
He also claimed that he worked at the Presidential Escort Unit. The former Facebook page seems to have been deleted and replaced with another whose updates begin on August 11.
