Kitui-based blogger Emmanuel Maleve has been released on a Ksh 50,000 cash bail after being arrested and charged with a cybercrime offence.
Maleve said he was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) while at work in a mall in Kitui.
“I was in the mall where I work when DCI officers came and arrested me, asking me to cooperate. They took me to Kitui Police Station. When we got there, they told me the case was being handled by the Nairobi headquarters, so we had to travel there,” he said.
He explained that they arrived at the DCI headquarters on Kiambu Road around 7 p.m. There, he gave a statement and was informed that the case involved allegedly damaging the reputation of Kitui South’s Member of Parliament.
Later, he was taken to Muthaiga Police Station and held overnight. The next day, he appeared in court, but the case did not proceed.
“When we got to court, I don’t know what the DPP told them, but I was later told to return to Muthaiga because the case was not strong enough to proceed. I was then released on a Ksh 50,000 cash bail,” Maleve said.
He expressed frustration with how the situation was handled, accusing powerful politicians of misusing their influence.
“What I can say is that politicians should not use their political powers to silence others,” he said.
Maleve also questioned the legitimacy of the complaint, claiming the MP from Kitui Constituency, who is said to have filed it, has never contacted him.
“The MP has never called me, and she is the complainant. When you hear about the embezzlement of CDF funds, you can tell who it's about,” he added.
He said he was embarrassed by the accusation, insisting that he was only reporting the truth. Maleve added that most of his reporting is based on public information.
“I was so embarrassed that a sitting MP said I’m destroying her reputation when I’m only telling the people the truth. My focus is the Auditor General’s report. I go through it and sample from there,” he said.
Maleve's disappearance was first reported by activist Boniface Mwangi, who said the blogger had been picked up by police officers in a Land Cruiser under unclear circumstances.
