The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Migori County has announced that Standard Group journalist Collins Kweyu, who was recently arrested in connection with alleged cybercrime and bribery, will now serve as a state witness.
Kweyu presented himself at the DCI offices in Migori to record a statement, following a dramatic arrest last month at a Nairobi hotel.
Authorities now say that preliminary investigations show he was not the primary suspect in the case.
Senior DCI officers noted that Kweyu cooperated fully with investigators, leading to the decision to shift his role in the case from suspect to witness.
The journalist was arrested amid claims of soliciting or offering a bribe related to a news story involving a judge.
The judge in question is accused of seeking a bribe in exchange for a favorable court ruling.
However, Kweyu strongly denied any wrongdoing, saying he was only seeking clarification for his story.
“I did not in any way solicit or demand a bribe to influence the outcome of my story,” Kweyu told journalists in Migori. “As journalists, we are guided by the principle of fair comment and the right of reply. That’s exactly what I was pursuing when I found myself wrongly accused.”
Kweyu’s arrest, which took place last Friday, was reportedly the result of a setup.
He was lured to a hotel in Nairobi under the guise of a meeting, only to be detained by officers and taken to the Central Police Station.
The arrest sparked outrage among media circles and press freedom advocates.
The Crime Journalists Association of Kenya (CJAK) condemned the move, calling it an abuse of state power aimed at intimidating the media.
“This was not only an attack on press freedom but an assault on the rule of law itself,” CJAK said in a statement.
The association also criticized court-sanctioned searches of Kweyu’s home and journalistic equipment, expressing concern that the actions could be attempts to uncover confidential sources. They further questioned the manner and timing of his arrest.
Following pressure from journalists’ unions and civil society, Kweyu was released on a free bond.
Investigations into the broader case are ongoing.
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