Controversial political blogger Francis Gaitho has revealed shocking details about how detectives tracked his location in Westlands, Nairobi, just minutes after he inserted his Safaricom SIM card into his phone.
Gaitho, known for his outspoken political views, had been moving between locations to avoid detection by the authorities due to ongoing investigations into his activities.
Gaitho’s ordeal began on the night of Tuesday, October 22, when he was forcefully arrested by detectives who gained access to his residence under dubious circumstances.
According to Gaitho, he had taken several precautions to avoid being tracked, including switching residences regularly and using alternate communication methods.
However, in a moment of necessity, he briefly inserted his Safaricom SIM card into his phone to make an M-Pesa payment. What followed was a dramatic series of events that led to his arrest.
In a statement released by Gaitho’s family after his release, they explained how he had been cautious ever since political protests began, moving between different locations to evade surveillance.
Gaitho had kept his whereabouts hidden from authorities and avoided using his primary Safaricom line, knowing it could be used to track him.
However, on the day of his arrest, Gaitho needed to make a payment to a vendor.
M-Pesa, Kenya’s mobile money service, requires a Safaricom line for transactions, and Gaitho briefly inserted his SIM card to complete the payment.
The transaction lasted only two minutes, but that brief window was all it took for the authorities to trace his location.
Gaitho’s family believes that the moment the SIM card was activated, it pinged nearby cell towers, allowing the detectives to pinpoint his exact location.
Within the hour, a woman, who is believed to have been working with the detectives, arrived at his apartment complex pretending to be a prospective tenant.
CCTV footage captured her scouting the area before guiding the officers to Gaitho’s apartment.
According to the family’s statement, the detectives, using civilian vehicles with private registration plates, forced their way into the building with the help of the caretaker.
Once they identified Gaitho’s apartment, they forced the caretaker to knock on his door.
Realizing that he was under threat, Gaitho quickly retreated to his bedroom and alerted his family and friends, posting a series of tweets indicating that his home was surrounded.
The detectives broke the door using a wheel spanner and forcibly entered his apartment. Gaitho was reportedly assaulted, handcuffed, and frogmarched to one of the waiting vehicles.
He was bundled into the boot of a black SUV, his head covered with a hoodie, and driven off to Kamukunji Police Station, where he spent the night.
Gaitho was later arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on charges related to skipping court mentions, which his lawyer John Khaminwa argued were due to miscommunication.
The judge reinstated Gaitho’s bond terms and withdrew the arrest warrants.
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