Nairobi, Kenya, Jul 22- Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai has defended the arrest of a foreigner caught transporting election stickers at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) saying police were doing their due diligence.
Speaking Friday while briefing journalists at his Jogoo House offices Mutyambai maintained that the arrest, impounding, and investigations into the materials was necessitated by what he described “the sensitivity of elections materials.”
Mutyambai said that proper procedures were not followed in the transportation of the election-related material.
“The said stickers were not declared as per the law when they were impounded at the airport,” Mutyambai said.
He went further to state that the stickers were not accompanied by an IEBC official as per routine procedures.
He further argued that the stickers which he described as “sensitive materials” was carried in the personal luggage of a foreigner
“The police, as per standard procedure and arrangement with the IEBC we were not notified of such an import beforehand to provide necessary security and escort,” Mutyambai said.
The Country’s police boss explained that the foreigner was released after subsequent investigations revealed that the stickers are bona fide property of the IEBC and part of the election-related material.
“As a result of this confirmation, this morning, I have issued instructions that the suspect in custody be released and handed over to the IEBC,” Mutyambai said.
The statement comes hours after IEBC demanded said three individuals were being held by police accusing them of intimidation
“The commission is concerned about this unjustified intimidation, harassment, and blackmail whatsoever and demands the immediate release of the three employees of Smartmatic International B.V,” said Wafula Chebukati, the chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in a statement to the media Friday morning.
Chebukati said IEBC has a legal contract with Smartmatic International B.V, the firm contracted to supply technology materials for the August 9 election and does not understand why police detained its officials.
Smartmatic International B.V was contracted to supply, deliver, install, test, commission, support, and maintain the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits which will be deployed in the election.