The mystery surrounding last Saturday's teargas attack on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua as he attended a public function in Nyandarua County has deepened after the police officer arrested at the scene was unconditionally released minutes later.
Mr Gachagua was about to get invited by Nyandarua Senator John Methu to address the gathering at Shamata grounds when a lone man raced across the podium.
As the diversionary tact by the man attracted security attention, a teargas canister was hurled towards Mr Gachagua, dropping about four metres from him and about two metres from Mr Methu who was with the mic.
The canister slowly exploded, emitting its toxic gas, blanketing Mr Gachagua and other VIPs, the function erupting into confusion as residents gave chase to a suspect who after apprehension, ended up being a serving male police officer.
The officer, identified as Police Constable Frederick Gitau, was handcuffed after live bullets were fired by the security contingent around to save him from mob lynching.
According to a preliminary police statement on the ongoing investigation as seen by Nation.Africa, the suspect is currently attached to Muungano Police Station in Athi River sub-County.
In a fresh twist to the arrest, Mr Gitau was later released unconditionally and in a phone conversation, he told Nation.Africa that "Mr Gachagua sent Mr Methu to the police station to forgive me."
Mr Gitau further claimed that it was Mr Methu who had framed him leading to his arrest, denying that the canister came from him.
"I was seated peacefully in the tent, like any other member of the audience, when the teargas canister was hurled to the dais. It did not even come from the direction I was seated," he said.
"Mr Methu, who had earlier contacted me to do some political tasks on behalf of his camp, which I declined, pinpointed me as the suspect and set me up with the mobs before I was rescued by my fellow officers."
"Mr Methu later followed me up to the station, bailed me out and offered me accommodation... As we speak I am free and okay," he added.
But Mr Methu denied the claims, dismissing them as "parts of a fabricated story".
"How did they bail him out on a weekend? How would the police release a criminal of such magnitude? Lying requires intelligence. If he is an officer of the National Police Service (NPS), what disciplinary action was taken against him for attacking a public gathering?" Mr Methu said.
On claim that he went to the police station to push for his release, Mr Methu charged: "Any proof of my being in any police station any day this month? That is just a fabricated story. Let them produce the suspect in court to make those claims."
Confusion and evasive tactics were evident at the Shamata Police Station where the suspect was briefly held.
The officers there and the Nyandarua top security brass declined to speak to Nation.Africa regarding the incident especially about the suspect.
"This is more than we can handle… this is not among the normal issues on which we readily give a comment. We are dealing with a huge political problem brewed elsewhere and exported to my jurisdiction without notice," said a senior officer at Nyandarua county security committee.
"We were only tipped by some seniors in Nairobi to expect Mr Gachagua. We were also notified that there was a special project that would disperse the meeting and our involvement was to ensure no one got attacked, only ensure the meeting ended without Mr Gachagua making an address."
The officer said the plan was going as per the brief "and when we noted that there was someone being attacked and risked getting lynched, we swung into action, fired into the air to drive off his attackers and evacuated him using our official patrol vehicle."
"After the suspect ended up being a police officer, the game changed... there were calls from very senior people... we called Mr Methu to ask whether Mr Gachagua wished to make formal complaints... I won't divulge the nature of those discussions... but we had to release the suspect," the officer said.
Shamata Deputy County Commissioner Mary Muchene told Nation.Africa that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) first interrogated the suspect.
"The DCI has interrogated the suspect. We want to establish how he had travelled outside his workstation to our area...what his mission was and such issues...Investigations are ongoing. Let us allow the police enough time to conclude the investigations," she said.
A defiant Mr Gachagua blamed President William Ruto and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja as the forces against him in public forums.
On November 28, 2024 Mr Gachagua was attacked at Bibirioni village in Limuru constituency when he had gone to attend the burial of Erastus Nduati, 23.
The DCI Director Mr Mohamed Amin had exclusively told Nation.Africa that the Limuru incident was under investigation and appropriate action was to be taken both against the perpetrators and inciters.
The National Police Service spokesperson Resila Onyango also released a public statement promising expedited investigations and bringing to book the perpetrators of the violent act.
To date, no suspect has been arrested, Mr Gachagua on Sunday insisting that both the Limuru and the Shamata attacks were acts of the state.
"A few weeks ago, a criminal gang very openly supported by the police attacked mourners at a funeral service I was attending in Limuru. Despite the pictures of the attackers being splashed all over, not a single criminal has been arrested to-date," Mr Gachagua wrote on his social media accounts on December 29, 2024.
"Today at a Thanksgiving Prayer Service at Shamata in Nyandarua, scores of police officers were deployed purportedly to provide security. However, and without any provocation whatsoever, a uniformed inspector of police gave a teargas canister to an officer in plain clothes to throw into the VIP tent, causing panic and commotion. This was despite the fact that the prayers were peaceful and everyone was calm."
Mr Gachagua added that "I want to acknowledge the resilience and courage of everyone who attended this event for ensuring that despite this attack by the police the prayers continued to their focal conclusion."
"I also want to thank the residents of Shamata for taking charge of the meeting and escorting the attackers out of the meeting, while providing security to the women and children present at the function, as well as the leaders who were present," he added.
He termed the attack as "yet another moment of great shame to our Police Service who are already disgraced for carrying out illegal abductions and extrajudicial killings of our children."
"To President Ruto: No amount of intimidation or violence will stop the Kenyan people from criticizing you, demanding for good governance and accountability, or asking you to respect democracy and the rule of law," Mr Gachagua said.
While the National Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) spoke against the Limuru incident, this time round both offices have maintained a studious silence.
