Court blocks arrest of journalist Zipporah Wambui in Tuju saga
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The High Court barred the arrest and prosecution of journalist Zipporah Wambui, granting her anticipatory bail of Sh200,000 pending the hearing and determination of her case against the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Wambui moved to court under a certificate of urgency through her lawyer, Danstan Omari, after the DCI allegedly and wrongly named her as a person of interest in the alleged staged abduction of former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju.
In her application, she argued that her constitutional rights had been violated by the move.
Justice Muya certified the matter as urgent and issued orders barring her arrest.
The court granted her a bond of Sh200,000 with one surety or, alternatively, a cash bail of the same amount.
“I have perused the application and certificate dated April 7, 2026. It is certified urgent. Anticipatory bond is allowed,” ruled Justice Muya.
“The applicant is admitted to a bond of Ksh 200,000 with one surety or cash bail of a similar amount. The application is to be served on the respondents. Mention on May 6, 2026,” the judge directed.
The matter is scheduled for mention on May 6, 2026.
Wambui told the court that she was wrongly identified alongside three other individuals as allegedly involved in planning and coordinating the purported disappearance. She maintained that she did not know the other persons mentioned and has never had any dealings with them.
According to her affidavit, Wambui said she only became aware of the alleged disappearance through media reports and communication from colleagues, like any other reporter covering a developing story.
She explained that she later attended press briefings in Karen strictly in her capacity as a journalist, covering what she describes as a matter of significant public interest.
Any interaction she had with sources or individuals linked to the story, she argued, was purely for purposes of newsgathering.
Trouble began on April 3 when the DCI, through its communications director, publicly named her as a person of interest in what investigators termed a staged disappearance involving Tuju.
Wambui said the announcement caused fear and apprehension that she could be arrested or subjected to harassment despite having committed no offence.
She said attempts to seek clarification from the DCI on why she was named have not yielded any response.
The journalist, who says she has over 15 years of experience and is accredited by the Media Council of Kenya, insisted she is a law-abiding citizen willing to cooperate with any lawful investigations.