Police in Manyatta, Embu County, arrested a chief and eight Nyumba Kumi elders on accusations of assaulting a man in the chief's jurisdiction.
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) ordered the arrest of the chief and his Nyumba Kumi college to aid in the pursuit of justice for the assaulted man.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI)'s report released on Saturday, February 25, the chief stormed the victim's house in the company of the elders.
An inquiry conducted by the police established that the suspects broke into the victim's home before assaulting the man and later setting the house on fire in the incident that occurred on December 24, 2022.
The chief and his elders, eight in number, were held at the Manyatta Police Station awaiting to be arraigned in court over the allegations of assaulting the man.
The DCI, however, did not disclose the motive behind the attack amid speculations that the man could have been in the wrong.
"An inquiry file was opened to establish what exactly transpired and on February 24, 2023, a report was received by our officers based at Manyatta police station recommending the prosecution of the suspects," the DCI statement read in part.
If found guilty, the chief will be the latest case of indiscipline among administrative officers after a series of cases implicating chiefs or their assistants in criminal activities.
In 2022, an assistant chief in Tharaka Nithi County was arrested in a crackdown on illicit brew after he was busted enjoying the liquor with villagers.
This is even as the Kenya Kwanza administration maintains its stance on ensuring that administrative officers serve diligently in their mandate of maintaining law and order, vowing to crack the whip on any officer who goes against the oath of office.
Since their inauguration, both President William Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gaachagua have been on record cautioning chiefs and other National Government Administrative Officers against playing politics and instead focus on their duties.
The statements from both Kenya Kwanza principals came on the back of allegations that a section of the officers was used in the mobilisation against the Kenya Kwanza team during the last General Election.
