- According to the DCI, Basweti was not among the people who occupied the Parliament on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, during the anti-Finance Bill protests.
- His photo posted on the day was from an earlier visit to the National Assembly, where he had paid a visit to South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro.
Image: HANDOUT
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has apologised for including a man in its list of people wanted for storming Parliament during anti-Finance Bill protests.
Dennis Basweti was included in the notice that was published in local newspapers and social media posts on Wednesday.
According to the DCI, Basweti surrendered himself to the police and explained that the photo posted on the day was from an earlier visit to the National Assembly, where he had paid a visit to South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro.
Following the publishing of the list, Basweti recorded a statement indicating that his circulated photos as having occupied parliament during the protests had been taken earlier on June 10, 2024.
The Directorate confirmed the same and exonerated him from blame.
"The DCI has since confirmed that Dennis Basweti's narrative is true, and has reached out to him with an apology, further commending him for believing in the DCI's pledge to conducting investigations thoroughly and fairly," DCI said.
MP Osoro commented on DCI's notice by stating that Basweti, who he identified as a pastor had visited him in parliament more than a week before the day of the protests.
The Majority Whip said Basweti took photos and videos inside the parliament which could have been mistaken to be among those that were taken on the day of the protests.
"Pastor Basweti Dennis visited me in parliament a month ago. I took him on a round tour of the chambers as he took selfies and videos with excitement. He posted them on his Facebook page on the 10th of June 2024," Osoro said.
He added that excited netizens during the day of the protests downloaded the said photos and videos of the pastor, later sharing them on the internet accompanied with hashtags 'tumefika bunge'.
Osoro maintained that could have led to the police mistaking the video for recent footage taken during protests, which in turn led to Basweti being among the wanted individuals.
Some Kenyans online had raised the issue saying Basweti was wrongly listed prompting the new developments.
The latest development comes a day after the DCI urged members of the public to provide information that could lead to the arrest of a few people caught on CCTV engaging in criminal activity during the anti-tax protests.
The detectives released a list of 38 people, believed to have been behind a spate of looting, theft and a historic breach of the Kenyan parliament.
The protests on Tuesday, June 25, and July 2 saw the acts of vandalism, mugging, and torching of business premises and vehicles in major towns such as Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Migori and Kisii.
While revealing the identities of the 38 suspects, the DCI urged the public to provide information that could lead to their arrest via the Fichua Kwa DCI hotline number 0800-7222-03.
Information can also be relayed via police hotline number 999, 911 or 112, the DCI said.
“The individuals whose images/photos appear below are wanted by the police for their unlawful activities during the anti-Finance Bill 2024 demonstrations. We therefore advise them to report to the nearest police station for further police action,” DCI said.
Dozens of people have since been arrested and prosecuted over the drama.
More than 40 people were killed in the protests and 400 wounded. President William Ruto declined to sign the Finance Bill 2024 following the protests seen as a changing game in governance in the country.
Property worth billions of shillings were destroyed in the protests.