Kenyan Journalist Goes Ballistic After DCI Links Him to Car-Theft Syndicate

A Kenyan journalist attached to China Global Television Network (CGTN) Africa, has gone ballistic after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) linked him to a car-theft syndicate in Nairobi.

The scribe, Kelvin Mokaya, accused the agency of not carrying out progressive investigations to verify their suspects' identification information during arrests.

The reporter's name was reportedly used by one of the gang members who were nabbed by DCI detectives along Thika Road and proceeded to use the identity.

In a statement shared on his Twitter account, Mokaya disclosed that he learned of the mistaken identity case a day after the arrest was made and that his name was making rounds on social media.

Journalist Kelvin Mokaya who called out DCI for not carrying out proper investigations before apprehending suspects.

He narrated how after he had lost the wallet containing his identification card and other documents, his name was published on social media a few days later despite him making a report of the loss.

"I feel that this is a case of incompetence within the police service as the investigating team did not take their time to verify if indeed the suspect was who he claims to be.

"This also brings out the issue of whether the police did take time to go through the OB Book especially when several cases of theft had been filed from the same location. Had they taken time to check reports from the scene where reports were made, they would have flagged this as a case of identity fraud," read Mokaya's statement in part.

Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, the journalist further revealed that he had suffered reputational damage as a result of the mishap by the police force.

"The fact that the police hurriedly published my name without verifying the documents in the victim's hand has injured my reputation," he stated.

The suspect was about to be released on a cash bail of Ksh20,000 but Mokaya's report swayed the magistrate to order his return to police custody.

He was arrested at Thika Road Mall in connection to a stolen motor vehicle that he had attempted to escape with.

A statement by Kelvin Mokaya calling out the DCI for not carrying out proper investigations to ascertain people's identities

A statement by the DCI after they nabbed a suspect that reportedly used a CGTN journalist's identity

 

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