Court Rejects Peter Salasya's Torture Allegations, Cites Insufficient Proof
- Mumias East MP Peter Salasya filed an application, alleging that he was subjected to torture during his time in police custody
- The magistrate pointed out that, aside from the defence's allegations of mistreatment, there was no significant evidence to indicate the accused had been tortured
- The magistrate also considered a separate request for the release of firearms assigned to the MP's security detail
Faith Chandianya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and Current Affairs in Kenya
In a significant legal development, a Magistrate Court has delivered a ruling on an application filed by MP Peter Salasya.
Source: Original
The Mumias East Member of Parliament alleged that he was subjected to torture while in police custody.
Was Peter Salasya tortured while in custody?
While delivering his ruling on Wednesday, June 4, the magistrate dismissed Salasya's torture claims.
The magistrate noted that, apart from the defence’s claims of mistreatment, there was no substantial evidence suggesting that the accused had been tortured or subjected to inhumane treatment.
He further observed that, while the MP appeared weak based on his physical condition, there were no visible signs of torture or mistreatment, nor did he show evidence of being subjected to slavery.
The magistrate concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support a violation of the MP’s rights under Section 5, resulting in the dismissal of the defence’s application.
"I did not find any concrete evidence to indicate that the accused was tortured. There were no signs or evidence suggesting he was mistreated while in custody. From his appearance, he appeared fit and there was no indication of slavery," the magistrate stated.
The magistrate also addressed a separate request regarding the release of firearms assigned to the MP’s security detail.
The prosecution stated that the state held a self-guarded pistol with 15 rounds of ammunition, which was recorded as part of the case inventory.
The magistrate noted that the court could not assess the evidentiary value of the firearms and ammunition at this stage.
Due to the charges against the accused, he decided to wait for further evidence, which would be subject to the defence's review. Ultimately, he ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to order the release of the firearms.
Why was Peter Salasya arrested?
This comes days after Salasya was charged with inciting ethnic violence between the Luhya and Luo communities through inflammatory social media posts.
On Friday, May 16, he was arrested while travelling to Isiolo, where he was set to engage with youth on governance issues and the upcoming 2027 General Election.
Source: Original
After spending the weekend in custody, he was brought before the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on Monday, May 19.
According to the charge sheet seen by TUKO.co.ke, Salasya allegedly used his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, @pksalasya, to post statements that promoted ethnic hatred.
Authorities argued that the posts were offensive, inciting, and intentionally designed to escalate tensions between the two communities.
Represented by lawyer Echesa, Salasya pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail, set at KSh 500,000 or an alternative cash bail of KSh 200,000.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
