Faith Odhiambo, President of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), has expressed shock at the decision to charge arrested protesters with a criminal offence.
According to the LSK president, protesters detained at Central Police Station have been charged with mugging.
She described how the lawyers sought an explanation from the police regarding the charges, lamenting that the officers were breaking the law.
As a result, she urged the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) not to prosecute arrested protesters on fabricated charges.
“This morning, we reported to 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 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,” the LSK president stated.
On the other hand, she reiterated that the Society would work across the country to represent peaceful protesters arrested during Tuesday’s demonstrations.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, some protesters were released by police following their intervention.
“Our teams across all 23 counties that reported demonstrations have been working diligently to ensure no protestors are detained unlawfully.
“We secured the release of protestors in Kitengela, Kahawa, and Mombasa and will continue to monitor the situation and offer relevant legal intervention,” she stated.
Furthermore, she urged Kenyans who had information and were still being held by police to contact their officers via the free toll number 0800720434.
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