Bomet Senator Lang’at arrested after overnight standoff with police

Bomet Senator Christopher Lang’at has finally been arrested and driven to the Embakasi Police Station.

Dr Lang’at was arrested at 11.30am Monday after a 12-hour standoff with officers from the DCI who had camped outside his house in Nyayo Embakasi since Sunday evening.

The senator was driven to the Embakasi Police Station aboard a DCI vehicle. He was accompanied by Mr Nelson Havi, the President of the Law Society of Kenya. 

The senator was ushered into the SCCIO office, before leaving, still under police guard.

“We are yet to understand the reasons for his arrest. But if there is no crime that they (senators) have committed and the only reason as to why they are being held hostage is to prevent them from going to the Senate. Then this is the epitome of abuse of power,” Mr Havi said before he left with the senator and the officers.

Senators Kichumba Murkomen (Elgeyo-Marakwet) and Senator Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho) were among political leaders who spent the better part of the night at Dr Lang’at’s home as they sought to understand why he was being arrested.

Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala is also being sought by police, with over 10 DCI officer camping outside his home in Kitengela. He vowed not to allow the officers to arrest him.

Samburu senator arrested

Samburu Senator Steve Lelegwe, according to colleagues who spoke on the floor of the Senate on Monday, was also arrested while on his way to the House. He was taken to Samburu for questioning.

later, Senator Lelegwe said he was arrested while on his way to Parliament and by 1pm he was being escorted to Samburu for questioning.

Speaking to the Nation by phone, Dr Lelegwe confirmed his arrest, adding that he had been summoned by the Samburu County Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Maralal to be questioned over rising insecurity in Samburu North.

"I am being taken to Maralal and they are saying that I am supposed to provide information about insecurity in Baragoi," the senator said.

Dr Lelegwe did not link his arrest to the ongoing revenue sharing formula standoff.

"There is nothing I can do about it at the moment. I will be in Maralal in a few minutes and answer to whatever they need," he said, adding that the police told him that they were investigating claims of incitement to violence.

The Nation could not immediately establish what crimes the police are accusing him of as all the officers reached said the case is being handled by specialised units from the DCI headquarters.