Kitui based Blogger Emmanuel Maleve, alias Hopkins Media was released on Friday 2nd May, after Former Kitui Governor Kaluki Ngilu call for his immediate and unconditional release following the dramatic arrest linked to an exposé he published against the Kitui South Membe of Parliament Dr Rachel Nyamai
Maleve was released on a police bail of Ksh 50,000 after spending the night in custody at Muthaiga Police Station, after he’d been driven away from Kitui town throughout the night
According to his lawyer Noel Muasya, police were unable to press formal charges and appeared to be engaging in a game of “hide and seek,” failing to produce a charge sheet at the courts throughout the morning.
”I have read in this wall (Kitui Professionals Forum) an elite WhatsApp group that brings together informed citizens from Kitui South and beyond, the dramatic arrest of Emmanuel Maleve, gone are the days when politicians can intimidate people and gagg them freedom of expression and association. I demand immediate release of Mr Maleve wherever he’s being held, ” Ngilu posted
Maleve was arrested yesterday at Muli Mall in Kitui, allegedly bundled into a waiting vehicle and ferried to Nairobi under unclear circumstances. His arrest came shortly after publishing articles alleging the misuse of National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) allocations by Kitui South MP Dr. Rachel Nyamai.
Muasya termed the arrest “a clear act of intimidation,” vowing to challenge the legality of the arrest in court and defend Maleve’s constitutional right to free expression.
Additionally, some of politicians and people of good will were perturbed and dismayed by the arrest, all accusing Kitui South MP for being behind the torture and intimidating young and bold youths who are attempting to challenge her leadership style which has been marred by improper utilization of National Government Constituency Development Fund
The Media Council of Kenya, media regulator that regulates our professional ethics and standard on how we report had given Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and Director of Criminal Investigations Mohammed Amin 24 hours to produce the whereabouts of Mr Maleve calling it an act of cowardice and intimidation to press freedom
The regulator also affirmed it’s position that they are defender of the journalists despite some speculations from naysayers that Maleve was a blogger, stating that he’s an accredited journalist working under Hopkins Media and TV
According to the latest report from the Auditor General, where the exposé was extracted from, Kitui South Constituency lost substantial amounts allocated for projects during the period under review which couldn’t be support by the fund managers
Maleve’s arrest was linked to an article he had written calling Kitui South Member of Parliament (MP), Rachael Nyamai, “Queen of Corruption.”
The article published on the Hopkin Media website had alleged that Nyamai was linked to allegations of significant corruption and misappropriation of constituency resources through clandestine operations.
Police officers from the Kitui Central Police Station had denied taking the blogger into their custody. Lawyer Evans Ondieki told journalists that the blogger remained in custody at Muthaiga Police Station in Nairobi, despite ongoing efforts to secure his release.
“He was arrested because he published a story on corruption. Funds were allocated for a purpose, and they were never used for that purpose; that is what he communicated, and it led to his arrest,” Ondieki said.
Ondieki revealed that after the article was published, the MP filed a petition against the blogger, prompting him to call for Maleve’s release.