Wanted man arrested in Kericho over hate speech

Nikko Tanui 15th Jan 2019 14:25:39 GMT +0300

**Hate speech suspect Denis Kiptoo (L) taken to Kericho police station.** [Nikko Tanui, Standard]

A man placed on the National Police Service Wanted list over hate speech has been arrested outside Kericho Police Station.

The suspect Denis Kiptoo was on his way to surrender to police when he was accosted by more than five undercover detectives.

They escorted him to the station’s Criminal Investigation Division offices.

Kiptoo's lawyer Bernard Ngetich, who is also the former South Rift Law Society of Kenya Chairman, was holed at the CID offices trying to negotiate for the suspect's release.

Kiptoo said his tweets had been misinterpreted by former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo who was one of the first to raise the alarm.

“I did not do anything wrong.. My statement was misunderstood. Let me issue my statement. I preach peace,” he said.

Kiptoo landed in trouble after he tweeted statements warning that the country will plunge into chaos if Deputy President William Ruto does not ascend to power in 2022.

“I am not issuing threats or inciting anybody. But the truth must be told. If [President] Uhuru [Kenyatta] betrays [William] Ruto, then everyone should be prepared for the repeat of 2007-08 [post-election violence]. It will be the worst…. Deni lazima ilipwe, ” reads part of Kiptoo's tweet.

“The National Police Service has been drawn to some tweets by the named individual issuing threats to incite ethnic clashes akin to what occurred in 2007-08 in parts of the country,” reads the NPS tweet.

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National Police Service Kericho Police Station Criminal Investigation Division Kiambu Governor William Kabogo Deputy President William Ruto