Police now say former sports CS Rashid Echesa will be treated as a dangerous criminal if he fails to surrender himself to the DCI.
Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai on Friday said they had given Echesa who is on the run-up to 1 pm to surrender himself.
Echesa was captured as he assaulted an IEBC official during the Matungu by-election.
This happened as he accused IEBC official Peter Okura of barring their agent from witnessing the voting.
“Sheria inasema kuwa poll agents must witness the voting! (The law says poll agents must witness voting)” he was heard shouting as he told off the IEBC agent.
In the partially inaudible video, the IEBC agent was heard defending himself saying that he was following instructions.
But before he could finish talking, Echesa slapped him.
He then went into hiding after police were instructed to arrest him.
“Echesa has until Friday afternoon to report to the nearest Police Station for slapping an election official in Matungu,” a statement from police spokesman Charles Owino read.
“The IG has directed Rashid Echesa who is on the run after assaulting an election official to surrender to the nearest Police Station by 1.00 pm this afternoon otherwise he will be treated as an armed and dangerous criminal,” he said.
IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati has also demanded for Echesa’s arrest stating he should have lodged an official complaint instead of slapping the official.
Mutyambai further directed police to charge the four MPs that were arrested during the chaos in Kabuchai.
They are Samson Cherargei, Nelson Koech, Didmus Barasa and Wilson Kogo.
The legislators spend the night at the Bungoma police station.
Mutyambai said the National Police Service notes with a lot of concern the continued increasing levels of misconduct by politicians during elections.
The IG warns the leaders that we shall not tolerate such misconduct and that stern action will be taken against them. The IG has instructed police commanders of jurisdictions where by-elections were carried out to arraign and charge the four leaders who were arrested,” the statement said.
According to Owino, IG Mutyambai has also instructed the Firearm Licensing Board to suspend licenses held by the said politicians over misuse.
“The affected individuals are hereby instructed to surrender their firearms to DCI headquarters with immediate effect for ballistic examination,” he said.
