Jimmy Wanjigi: Why The Police Raided The Billionaire’s Muthaiga Home

Security officers from the elite Recce Squad on Monday raided the Muthaiga home of billionaire businessman Jimmy Wanjigi in a bid to arrest him.

It is not yet clear why the police raided the home but there are allegations that the operation is linked to a cache of guns recovered at a house in Malindi.

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BuzzKenya has learned that the police have obtained a warrant to search all of Wanjigi’s properties.

They have gained access into the house and are currently preparing to conduct a forceful entry into a bunker/strongroom where they suspect Jimmy Wanjigi he has locked himself up.

The warrant obtained allows the police to “enter and search the premises/dwelling houses inhabited whether temporarily or permanently” by Wanjigi.

Officers have been granted permission to “open, search, have access, seize, remove and carry away, firearms ammunition and explosives, as well as documents related to importation of weapons.”

Officers from the Flying Squad, GSU and Special Crime Prevention department have moved into the Muthaiga Road house on Tuesday morning as other heavily armed officers can be seen guarding the house’s entrance.

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The police is yet to issue an official statement regarding the dramatic raid although Malindi OCPD Matawa Muchangi had said that weapons were discovered in a house in Malindi belonging to Jimmy Wanjigi.

He said that AK 47 rifles and ammunition were discovered in the house.

“We got a tipoff from the public and we carried out the dawn raid from 12 am to 11 am. Investigations are ongoing. We also found three used cartridges and we want to find out where it was used and for what purpose.”

National Super Alliance leaders have debunked this claim. Siaya Senator James Orengo and former Machakos senator Johnston Muthuma told journalists that the raid was political.

They attributed the actions of the police to intimidation tactics by the government against individuals backing the opposition.

Speaking to journalists outside Wanjigi’s home on Monday, Senator Orengo first faulted the police for conducting the raid without a search warrant. He also said the Malindi home which was raided by police and arms seized is not owned by billionaire Jimmy Wanjigi.

He further claimed to have information that the cache of arms was planted owing to the businessman’s association with the National Super Alliance.

Wanjigi backed NASA leader Raila Odinga ahead of the August 8 General Election and is said to be still calling shots in the coalition.

“We have managed to talk to the wife and father who raised concerns over this illegal act.”

“There is no basis for the police to continue being here as they have no arrest warrant. This is an illegal act and points to circumstances aimed at trumping up charges,” Orengo said.

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Wanjigi, popularly known as JW, is the son of former Starehe MP Maina Wanjigi. The older Wanjigi was present at his son’s home as the police standoff ensued.

The whereabouts of the businessman are unknown although speculation suggests that he locked himself inside the fortified house, which the police were at the time unable to gain access into.

The officers spent the night camped outside the home in anticipation that he would get out.

Among many other business interests, Wanjigi is a licensed arms dealer, whose company supplied arms to the Kibaki government.

He was also a personal friend to the late powerful Internal Security minister George Saitoti and through his close proximity to State House, secured huge government contracts.

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