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Controversial businessman Jimi Wanjigi was yesterday arrested after he honoured a summons and presented himself before the detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

The detectives said he was being investigated over illegal possession of six firearms, and that the arrest followed confirmation from the Firearms Licensing Board (FLB) that the six rifles found in his house were not licenced.

“The chairman of the Licensing Board advised us to take a legal action against him over the illegal possession of the firearms and that is why he is being detained,” said a senior detective.

Teargas canisters

Though it was initially said that the arrest was linked to the Nane Nane protests and the alleged recovery of teargas canisters at his Muthaiga home, police have maintained that it was not. At around 4.20 pm, Wanjigi posted on his X account saying police were detaining him.

“The DCI have illegally arrested me despite numerous court orders barring the same arrest,” he said, adding that the arrest was politically motivated.

The DCI detectives had summoned Wanjigi to appear before them on August 19 at Nairobi Area DCI offices for grilling after an earlier attempt on August 8 to arrest him failed.

Wanjigi who was accompanied by his legal team arrived at Nairobi Area at about 2 pm before he was ushered in for the grilling sessions. There was a brief drama at the gates of the police station when police stopped him from talking to the media ordering him to get into the offices immediately, but Wanjigi stood his ground saying he will not be harassed and told the officers to have respect for him. On August 9, a team of police broke into his house and harassed his family while looking for him. It was then they found the weapons.

Wanjigi later moved to court where he obtained an order stopping his arrest. The court on August 16 extended the orders stopping the police from arresting him.

Charge sheet

Justice Bahati Mwamuye extended the order to September 19 but at the same time said he could not issue an order stopping any registration of a charge sheet against Wanjigi. The Judge said the application filed by Wanjigi only touched on issues of arrest and not prosecution.

Wanjigi’s advocate Willis Otieno sought the order yesterday morning saying several things had transpired and they needed to bring additional matters to the attention of the court that would necessitate amendment of the application.

The prosecution, however, opposed the order sought saying Otieno was asking for what has not been pleaded, and the Judge gave Wanjigi seven days to file and serve an amended petition. The matter will be mentioned on September 19.

Mwamuye said in the event Wanjigi could have been arrested or detained as the application was pending hearing in court, the officers should immediately set him free.

Wanjigi filed a suit in court and denied owning a vehicle where police said they found tear gas canisters and other communication gadgets.

Acting Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli had claimed they discovered four teargas canisters, two motorola gadgets, seven assorted chargers for the pocket phone and one mobile phone in a vehicle parked at Wanjigi’s gate. Wanjigi however said in court the vehicle in question doesn’t belong to him or any of his associates as earlier reported.