This archive report was first published on 20 July 2020.
On Saturday night, Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja (pictured) managed to evade arrest by taking refuge at the home of a senior civil servant in Karen.
According to reports, Sakaja was being sought by police to record a statement regarding claims of incitement and breaking curfew after his arrest at a Nairobi club on Friday night.
After being granted police bond on Saturday morning, Sakaja was expected to return to the Kilimani Police Station for processing ahead of arraignment. However, when he failed to show up, police tried to contact him, but his phone was switched off.
Police then visited his house along Dennis Pritt Road, where they found his car parked and his mobile phone inside. It appeared that Sakaja had been whisked away to safety.
Police camped at the senator's house until late in the evening as they pursued other means of tracking Sakaja.
According to sources, when the top government official realised police were closing in on his home, he ordered them to stand down until the next day or the day after.
However, the officers insisted that the senator should go to the station and complete the process of his release.
Nairobi police boss Philip Ndolo stated that Sakaja was supposed to record a statement regarding the incident at Ladies' Lounge in Kilimani.
'He agreed to come back and complete this process, but now he cannot be reached. We still want him here,' Ndolo said.
Another officer revealed that Sakaja was likely to be charged.
Lawyer Cliff Ombeta, who was representing two employees of Ladies' Lounge who were being held by police, stated that the senator had gone missing.
'The senator has gone missing. He is required to report back at the station to be processed for court. Other innocent persons have been arrested as collateral so that he appears,' said Ombeta.
It is worth noting that Sakaja was arrested at a bar after a confrontation with police who had been called following complaints that there were revellers inside the premises after curfew hours.
He was also accused of inciting some of those present to defy police orders to leave the bar and allegedly threatened to have all police officers at Kilimani transferred within 24 hours.
However, Sakaja later denied being in custody, tweeting 'Never been arrested. Won't be. Show me an OB Number.'
It is ironic that Sakaja chairs a senate ad hoc committee on Covid-19 that collected views on the Pandemic Response and Management Bill, 2020.
The committee was mandated to oversee actions and measures taken by the national and county governments in addressing the spread and effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
