Laikipia North MP Lempurkel recounts ordeal in police custody

Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel on Monday told of his ordeal in the hands of detectives for the three days he was in custody.

The MP was arrested on Saturday at the Nanyuki police station, where he had gone to report alleged threats to his life.

“I was at the police station to report that my life was in danger when a police officer came and told me he had instructions from above to arrest me.

"He took me to Naromoru police station and at night he came for me with other officers despite objections from the station commander,” the MP told Kibera Chief Magistrate Joyce Gandani.

He added: “I want this to go on record — my life in danger. The officers took me to Maragua, Ol Jorok, Ol Kalou, Njabini through the Aberdare forest.

"These people wanted to kill me. They were regularly communicating with a person by the name Chebii and he would ask where we had reached. They would leave me in the car to go and consult."

POISONED

The MP said he had not eaten since his arrest, fearing that he might be poisoned.

He said his mobile phone was confiscated after his arrest.

“How can one be moved across five counties at night, the motive can only be sinister. Nobody knew where I was. It was chilling experience,” he said.

Mr Lempurkel said he will continue championing for the rights of his constituents and claimed his arrest was political.

The MP was arrested on Saturday for allegedly making incitement-to-violence remarks during an ODM rally in Maralal.
NIGHT

He was transferred to Nairobi from Nanyuki but did not take plea after the State prosecutor said she wanted to consult the Director of Public Prosecutions for directions.

“I have looked at the charge sheet and I feel that I need time to get directions from my boss, the DPP,” Mary Wangele said.

She asked the court to order the legislator to be remanded at the Gigiri Police Station but defence lawyers, led by Prof Ben Sihanya, objected.

“This is a member of Parliament whose rights are being violated. He was held incommunicado for the last three days, being moved from one police station to another at night.

"He should be released on bond,” he stated.

“The officers seem to have orders from above. The family of the MP fear for his life. This is detention without trial, as no reason has been given to qualify his incarceration. His continued detention is a violation of his rights as a citizen,” the lawyer stated.

HATRED

The court heard that the MP, who is being accused of racial hatred, has another case in a Nanyuki court that he is assisting police to investigate.

Ms Wangele told the court that prosecutors were not seeking to carry out further investigations.

“What we want is a day to seek directions from DPP. Claims he was held incommunicado are not true because he was allowed to talk to a lawyer, one Mr Mayaka,” said the prosecutor.

The magistrate dismissed the prosecution's application and released the MP on a Sh300,000 bond with a surety of the same amount and an alternative cash bail of Sh100,000.