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The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) yesterday accused the police of seeking to arraign scores of protestors arrested following Tuesday’s anti-government demonstrations on trumped up charges.

LSK President Faith Odhiambo accused the Central Police Officer Commanding Station (OCS) of arraigning several protestors at the City Hall court yesterday morning on fictitious charges of mugging.

“The 125 protestors that were being held at Central Police Station have been arraigned at City Hall Court. Our legal team is on the ground to represent them,” tweeted Ms Odhiambo.

Secured release

She narrated how the LSK team of lawyers had spent the better part of Monday and yesterday seeking to secure the release of hundreds of protestors from various police stations across the country.

“Following distress calls raised through the Law Society of Kenya toll-free line, we set camp at Central Police Station, Nairobi, until 9 pm, where several protestors had been held following arrests during the demonstrations. We held discussions with the OCS over the release of the protestors, but he insisted on holding the protestors overnight to allegedly enable their booking before release in the morning,” she said.

Come yesterday morning, the protestors were charged with mugging, she stated.

“This morning, we reported to the Central Police Station by 8 am to follow up on the release. We were shocked to find that the peaceful protestors were booked with trumped-up charges of mugging,” the LSK president stated.

Ms Odhiambo appealed to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) not to prosecute arrested protestors on trumped-up charges.

“The police have offered no qualification of these allegations, and we therefore demand that the ODPP desist from allowing vexatious, false charges against the people of Kenya.”

She disclosed how the LSK lawyers across all 23 counties that had reported demonstrations have been working diligently to ensure no protestors are detained unlawfully. She revealed that they have managed to secure the release of protestors in various stations adding that LSK will continue to offer relevant legal intervention as they monitor the situation.