A Mombasa court has ordered the detention of investigative journalist Peter Mwita Maseke for five days to allow police to complete investigations into the publication of an article linking a local legislator to criminal gangs operating in Kisauni.
Chief Magistrate Dominica Nyambu on Thursday directed that Maseke be held at the Central Police Station as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) continues probing the matter.
Appearing before the court, investigating officer Stephen Agutu told the magistrate that the complaint was lodged by Kisauni Member of Parliament Rashid Benzimba, who was allegedly offended by publications that described him as a financier of criminal gangs terrorising residents of the area.
Agutu informed the court that detectives required additional time to retrieve and analyse data from Maseke’s mobile phone, which he said was critical evidence in building the case against the journalist.
The court further heard that Maseke had previously sent a message to the Mombasa County Police Commander, Peter Kimani, seeking confirmation on information regarding the alleged involvement of the area MP in the criminal activities.
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Earlier, the duty court declined to hear the matter after Senior Resident Magistrate Gladys Ollimo recused herself, citing personal connections to the respondent.
“I hereby recuse myself from hearing this matter, since the respondent is well known to me personally,” Magistrate Ollimo ruled.
Maseke was arrested on December 30 by detectives following the circulation of the disputed article in a WhatsApp group. The case has drawn attention from media stakeholders and human rights groups, who have raised concerns over press freedom and the treatment of journalists in the line of duty.
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