A pilot accused of assaulting a policewoman in Nyandarua where he had flown Deputy President William Ruto has been arrested.
Alistair Patrick Llewelyn was taken to Kinangop Police Station at 5pm yesterday and recorded a statement for an hour.
Local police said he was locked up and will appear at the Engineer Law Courts today to answer to the charge of assaulting a police officer while on duty.
Authorities explained he was not granted bond because he is a foreigner.
Section 103 of the National Police Service Act stipulates a fine not exceeding Sh1 million or imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years, or both, be imposed on any person who assaults or obstructs a police officer in execution of duties.
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A video footage showing the pilot physically harassing the policewoman identified as Mercy Wandera, from Magumu Police Station in Kinangop Constituency, caused an uproar on social media.
Earlier, Alistair had turned himself in at the Wilson Airport Police post but he was asked to go to Kilimani Police Station.
He was held briefly at Kilimani and later bundled into a police car and driven, accompanied by three officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, to Nyandarua where the incident happened on Sunday.
At Kinangop Police Station, when asked by investigators led by Kinangop DCIO Edward Obel to explain to his family that he would spend the night in police custody, he replied he did not have a phone and neither could he remember any number of a close relative.
The South African resident had been on duty at the Coast before he flew in in the afternoon and surrendered.
The man who recorded the video that has gone viral, Michael Munene, also recorded a statement at Engineer Police Station in Kinangop yesterday.
Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet ordered the arrest of the pilot after a video showed him bullying and pushing a policewoman.
Public Service, Youth and Gender Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki lauded the swift response by the police.
"I commend the Inspector General for acting swiftly to ensure the culprit faces the full force of the law," she said in a statement.
"We will not condone such despicable acts against women in this age and time when my ministry is focused on eliminating all forms of gender-based violence," she added.
Meanwhile Alistair's employer, Kwale Island Development Ltd, which operates the chopper registration number 5Y-DSN, announced it had terminated his services.
"KIDL has since terminated the agreement between itself and Alastair Llewelyn and Saker Resource Management Ltd," said the agency's official Marco Brighetti.
The agency official added that the company "regrets the unfortunate incident and distances itself from the actions of the pilot".
The policewoman arrived at Kinangop Police station where she recorded a statement.
A police source said the officer had delayed in recording a statement for fear of victimisation by the pilot.
Ruto was attending a church when the pilot attacked the police officer after he found people posing for photos near the helicopter.
Ruto, through his spokesman David Mugonyi, said he was made aware yesterday morning of the incident and had asked the police to take immediate action.
