High Court Blocks Government From Cancelling Jimi Wanjigi’s Gun License and Prevents His Arrest
Former presidential candidate and businessman Jimi Wanjigi can now breathe a sigh of relief after the High Court ruled against the government’s attempt to revoke his firearm license.
In a decision delivered by Justice Bahati Mwamuye on Thursday, the court barred the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the National Police Service from arresting Wanjigi over firearm-related allegations. The ruling also protected his staff from facing further charges, as some had been detained alongside him.
Among those arrested were Wanjigi’s employees, Dancan Odhiambo and Kelvin Ochieng’, who were apprehended near the politician’s Nairobi residence over accusations of illegally possessing explosives. However, Justice Mwamuye declared their detention and prosecution unlawful, stating that their charges were based on legal irregularities and abuse of power.
This ruling follows Wanjigi’s dramatic arrest in August last year, where he was accused of unlawful gun possession and involvement in illegal protests. After his arrest, he strongly condemned the authorities, calling the move illegal and accusing law enforcement officers of defying existing court orders that prohibited his detention.
“The DCI has arrested me illegally despite several court orders preventing my arrest,” Wanjigi stated at the time.
Months leading up to his arrest, Wanjigi had frequently appeared on state media and his social media platforms criticizing the government. He openly condemned the administration’s excessive borrowing, corruption, failure to control inflation, and inability to lower the high cost of living.
Following his arrest on August 19 last year by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the High Court in Nairobi released Wanjigi on a personal bond of Ksh10 million. As part of the court’s directive, he was required to surrender all his travel documents, including his passports, as he awaited further court rulings on the matter.
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