The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has defied a court order by posting a photo of a suspect on its Twitter timeline.
On Monday, the Inspector General of Police and the DCI were prohibited by a Nairobi court from posting the images of arrested suspects online until the matter is heard on March 5, 2019.
“A conservatory order is hereby issued restraining the Inspector of General Police and Director of Criminal Investigations from posting suspects and or accused person booking photographs and on the internet and social media and more and more specifically on the DCI Facebook and Twitter page pending the determination of the petition,” the court order read in part.
However, the same evening, the DCI posted a picture of a suspect, a police constable, Elvis Ombati Mitenti, attached to the Dog Unit in Nakuru.
Ombati was arrested by detectives for trying to extort money by threatening the Manager of Njoro Huduma Nursing Home with arrest.
According to the DCI, he was accusing the management of illegal power connection.
"Upon interrogation, the officer admitted to threatening the management with arrest in order for him to be bribed. He had also claimed to be a DCI detective based at Nakuru Central Police Station, which was untrue," the DCI tweeted.
The agency confirmed that investigations had already commenced in order to nab his accomplices.
In the petition filed on Monday, Henry Shitada argued that parading suspects on social media was a violation of human rights.
Dennis Kirwa, his lawyer, explained that a majority of the suspects whose images were shared are young people and that their employment would be at stake even after they had been acquitted.
“The practice if not stopped may negate the presumption of innocence,” read the petition.
In a statement to Kenyans.co.ke, the DCI stated that they had not received any documents from the court barring them from posting the pictures of the suspects on Twitter.
"We have not received any court orders to that effect. We are only seeing this on social media," the Agency noted.
UPDATE
10:30 AM: The story was updated with a statement from the DCI.
