Veteran Journalist Macharia Gaitho has refuted claims by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) that his recent ordeal was a case of mistaken identity involving social media influencer Francis Gaitho.
Addressing the media at Karen Police Station, where he went to file a statement regarding the incident he termed as an "attempted abduction," Gaitho dismissed the DCI's explanation.
He stressed that the differences between himself and the individual they claimed to be targeting are vast.
"That Francis Gaitho they claim they were after, I am twice his age. He does not live where I reside because they followed me from my home.
He does not drive the same type of car as I do. They were looking for me; they were trailing me," Gaitho asserted.
Describing the harrowing experience, Gaitho recounted how he was forcefully taken into a white Probox by two men in civilian attire who handcuffed and assaulted him.
He added that throughout the ordeal, his abductors failed to properly identify themselves despite his repeated inquiries.
Gaitho further questioned how the authorities could have tracked him to Karen Police Station yet still maintain they had mistaken him for someone else.
He detailed how the events unfolded, including a stop near Shell petrol station where they finally checked his ID and questioned him about his identity, using the name "Francis," which he seldom uses professionally.
"They did not clarify the mistaken identity nor explain how they had tracked me from my home," Gaitho lamented.
He highlighted the trauma of the incident and criticized the government for its failure to uphold promises of a safe environment free from such actions.
Gaitho concluded by affirming that he has reported the incident as a crime and is awaiting further legal proceedings.
He urged others who have faced similar situations to seek legal recourse and emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in law enforcement practices.
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