EACC Spokesman Kairichi Marimba said they expected Wa Iria to face charges on Tuesday/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 14 – Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria was on Monday arrested over obstruction of Ethics and Anti Corruption detectives during a raid at his home on January 21.
Wa Iria was arrested within Highridge in Nairobi before he was whisked to Integrity Centre.
EACC Spokesman Kairichi Marimba said they expected Wa Iria to face charges on Tuesday.
The embattled Governor is likely to face charges of obstruction among other charges following the incident that occurred in January when EACC detectives raided his Thika home.
A search by EACC at his residence in Gatanga turned chaotic when a group of MCAs and residents attempted to block the detectives.
While the EACC officers said they were blocked from conducting their work, the Governor said the officials had ambushed him, prompting him to call the police.
READ: EACC detectives attacked at Mwangi wa Iria’s home
“How can you incite people in your own house?” the Governor could be heard asking.
Though majority of journalists were barred from accessing the compound at the initial stage of the search, one could see the drama from outside.
At one point, some documents were dropped outside the gate by unidentified person from the compound before it was rushed to a waiting vehicle.
Wa Iria accused the detectives of assault, saying he was mulling whether to take legal action against them.
He protested against how the investigators introduced themselves, how they carried out the search and linking it to the county politics.
“People came to my house with guns and actually said they can break in. Who is assaulting who? “he asked. “They forcefully took my phone and attempted to assault my wife.”
He went on to claim that the EACC detectives even harassed one of his kids who was going to school during the morning raid.
“I called the police thinking my house was under attack, I even thought the Al-Shabaab (terrorist) were here,” he said.
Wa Iria claimed that the anti-graft body was being used by his political detractors to settle scores.
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