NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 6 – Several suspects who were detained in the ongoing probe into the Uhuru Park blasts have been released, after police failed to gather sufficient evidence against them.
Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere told journalists on Tuesday that detectives had questioned suspects who were arrested in Kinoo and Isiolo but could not link them to the explosions.
"We have gotten a lot of information from members of the public. We went to Kinoo but we have found that it was false information," Mr Iteere said.
"We have also gone as far as Isiolo but again we found that the person (under suspicion) was an alien and he was taken to court," he added.
The police chief was making reference to the arrest of three suspects in Kinoo two weeks ago, after investigators were tipped off that they could be linked to the blasts.
One of them had been tracked via mobile phone communication which led to the arrest of two of his colleagues who were detained and interrogated but have since been freed.
Mr Iteere did not however, go into details of how long the suspects were held or disclose their identities.
He said the suspect arrested in Isiolo was detained and interrogated but no conclusive evidence had been found to link him with the attack that left six people dead and 102 others injured when two grenades were hurled at a church crusade on June 16.
After questioning, Mr Iteere said the man was found to be an alien but had nothing to do with the Uhuru Park blasts. He was subsequently charged for being in the country illegally.
Mr Iteere who spoke to journalists during a tour of Kileleshwa, Kilimani, Ngong and Ongata Rongai police stations in Nairobi said detectives were piecing together information received from witnesses and victims of the blasts but no conclusion had been made.
"We are still open to receive information from members of the public. A number of witnesses have recorded statements with us but we are still calling on more people to come forward," he said.
Among those who have recorded statements are church leaders who had convened the crusade.
Police have not recorded any statements from politicians who attended or addressed the crusade which was largely viewed as a campaign meeting for those opposed to the proposed Constitution.
Lately, police have intensified security at political rallies and religious meetings to avoid a repeat of the Uhuru Park scenario after law enforcers were faulted for failing to provide adequate security.
Mr Iteere sought to assure the public on Tuesday that: "There is adequate security across the country because the police are there to provide that security. There should be no cause for alarm. The general security situation in the country is good."
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