This archive report was first published on 20 July 2020.
Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja, who chairs a senate ad hoc committee on Covid-19, evaded arrest on Saturday night by hiding at a senior civil servant's home in Karen, Nairobi.
According to police, Sakaja was being sought for questioning over claims of incitement and breaking curfew after his arrest in a Nairobi club late on Friday night.
He was granted police bond on Saturday morning and asked to return later in the day for processing ahead of arraignment, but failed to show up at the Kilimani Police Station.
Police said they tried to call him, but his phone was switched off, and detectives visited his house along Dennis Pritt Road where they found his car parked and his mobile phone in the house.
It appeared that he had been whisked away to safety, and police camped at the senator's house until late in the evening as they pursued other means of tracking Sakaja.
On Saturday, July 18, 2020, Nairobi police boss Philip Ndolo said 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.
Lawyer Cliff Ombeta, who is representing two employees of Ladies' Lounge who were being held by police, said Sakaja was likely to be charged.
“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 Mr Ombeta.
The senator 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.
He later denied being in custody, tweeting, “Never been arrested. Won't be. Show me an OB Number,”
