Help us flush out criminals infiltrating demos, DCI tells Kenyans

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has asked Kenyans to help security agencies in getting rid of criminals invading peaceful protests.

While acknowledging the nationwide protests rejecting the 2024/25 Finance Bill as peaceful, the criminal investigative agency noted that criminals had taken advantage of the situation and devised ways to cause harm during the demonstrations.

“We can flush them from amongst our numbers because they do not share the principles that define what we stand for, and more so for the sake of those who did not deserve to lose their only means of livelihood in this manner,” DCI told Kenyans.

The agency also noted that it had retrieved CCTV footage of criminals masquerading as protesters causing damage to properties thus robbing Kenyans their livelihood.

“As a criminal investigative agency, it squarely falls within the mandate of the DCI to investigate and bring to book any persons involved in such outright criminality, which not only robbed numerous Kenyans their means of livelihood, but also worked towards compromising an otherwise crucial constitutional right,” the statement futher read.

“In that regard, the DCI’s Imaging and Acoustic Unit domiciled at the National Forensic Laboratory has since retrieved numerous CCTV footages that captured identifiable persons, whose felonious acts isolates them from the hundreds of thousands that stuck to their course.”

This comes after President William Ruto in a media round-table at State House on Sunday attributed the extensive damage to criminals who, he claimed, infiltrated what began as peaceful demonstrations.

According to the Head of State, property worth Ksh 2.4 billion was destroyed during the protests against the Finance Bill last week.

“There were criminals who infiltrated and caused mayhem. In fact, some of these criminals harmed peaceful protesters. Many protesters lost their phones and were attacked,” he said.

Key government offices, including Parliament, the Office of the Chief Justice, and Governor Johnson Sakaja’s office at City Hall, were among those damaged during the protests.

Ruto stated that investigations are underway to determine how protesters gained access to Parliament and set part of the building on fire.

“The invaders in Parliament went straight for the armoury at the mausoleum and the Sergeant at Arms’ office. How did these criminals know about the armoury? There will be investigations into all these incidents,” the President said.