DPP Drops Charges Against Matiang’i and His Attorney Danstan Omari

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has dropped the charges against former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i over the alleged police raid of his Karen home last month.

Through acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Lilian Obuo, the DPP said the evidence provided by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) was not sufficient to sustain the charges against Matiang’i and his attorney Danstan Omari.

The DCI accused the two of jointly conspiring to publish false information that Matiang’i’s home was invaded by a garrison or battalion of police officers on the night of February 9th.

The investigating agency recommended Matiang’i and Omari be charged with conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to section 393 of the Penal Code and publication of false information contrary to section 23 of the Computer and Misuse and Cybercrime Act No. 5 of 2018.

But the DPP noted that following a careful and independent study of the evidence and a review of the witness statements, it was determined that the evidence did not contain all of the elements necessary to establish each of the charges in accordance with the law.

“Upon independent and thorough analysis of the evidence availed and a review of the statements of the witnesses, the Director of Public Prosecutions found that the evidence provided was not sufficient to sustain the above charges against Dr. Fred Okeng’o Matiang’i and his advocate Mr. Danstan Omari,” Obuo said in a statement on Monday.

“The evidence provided did not meet the ingredients needed to prove each of the aforementioned offences as required by law.”

Consequently, the DPP directed the DCI to close the inquiry file with no further police action.