Residents of Mathira Constituency have taken to the streets, burning tyres and disrupting traffic on the major highways, to protest the morning arrest of their area Member of Parliament Rigathi Gachagua.
Business in Karatina town was largely affected with vehicles from Nairobi unable to ply the Nairobi-Nyeri route, as residents blocked vehicles and lit tyres on the roads, and erected boulders, temporarily blocking the highway
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested Gachagua at his rural home in Nyeri earlier this morning, over an alleged corruption case of more than Sh12 billion. The legislator was picked up at around 6am , and driven to the Nairobi DCI Headquarters along Kiambu Road.
Gachagua allegedly registered 49 companies which he used to trade with various agencies in an intricate web that saw him win tenders worth more than Ksh 12billion. However the Mathira MP has denied the claims.
Taking to his Facebook page, Gachagua said dozens of DCI officers raided his home in an attempt to gather evidence allegedly for money-laundering charges. A convoy of 50 cars made way into Gachagua’s compound, with the officers taking him in one of the cars.
Another one of his lawyers, Kioko Kilukumi said an asset recovery case involving his client in court, but insisted that the case is not a criminal matter.
Some of Gachagua’s bank accounts were frozen to allow police to investigate the source of the Ksh 12.5billion shillings that flowed through the accounts.
Upon his arrest, his other lawyer, Wahome Gikonyo said Gachagua has not been told the reason for his arrest and that he will be told the reason once he arrives at the DCI Headquarters. He has also questioned why they would arrest the legislator on Friday yet the High Court prohibited arrests on this day.
Gachagua is a staunch supporter of Deputy President Dr. William Ruto, has said the accusations are politically instigated.