ODM leader Raila Odinga once found himself at the crosshairs of the Kenyan authorities following his wife's letter that cost one of the police officers his employment.
In a detailed report by the Daily Nation, the former Prime Minister was serving his time in detention and had collaborated with one officer to help him keep in contact with the outside world.
Two most notable people he reportedly used to communicate with were his wife Ida Odinga and fellow detainee George Anyona.
In his book The Flame of Freedom, Raila wrote about the vile brutality from the many cruel warders that were overseeing him at the prison.
On one occasion, a letter sent to the former premier by his wife Ida mysteriously found itself in the hands of the then Deputy Police Commissioner Philip Kilonzo who became furious.
Kilonzo then launched a manhunt for the warder who was aiding the former premier's communication with the outside world. The search, however, landed an innocent warder in hot soup and he was promptly removed from his post.
The Daily Nation article's author, Joyce Nyairo, explained that the officer had nothing to do with it but was among those who were cruel to Raila.
Raila later celebrated the incident, as shown in the book, noting, "I felt that ‘divine justice’ had intervened to help rid me of one of the unsympathetic askaris.”
Raila was put under house arrest after evidence emerged that he had prominently taken part in the failed 1982 coup against President Daniel Moi.
He was released in February 1988 only to be arrested again in September of the same year for his pro-democracy and human rights agitation.
