Daniel Gachoka: A man wrongly sentenced to 17 years in prison, arrested again shortly after being released

• Daniel Wanyeki Gachoka, recently released after 17 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, has been re-arrested and detained at Ruiru Police Station
• Wanyeki was initially convicted in 2007 for allegedly assaulting his daughters, but recent testimony shows his grandmother encouraged him to falsely accuse her
• The ODPP recommended a retrial and Wanyeki was brought before a court in Thika, where he was ordered to remain in custody
• His lawyer, Kiroko Ndegwa, condemned the detention as unconstitutional and pushed for reforms to address injustices in the criminal justice system

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, has over three years of writing experience policy and current affairs in Kenya.

Kiambu – In a dramatic twist of fate, Daniel Wanyeki Gachoka, who was recently acquitted after spending 17 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, has been arrested again.

According to Citizen Digital, a 59-year-old man was arrested and is currently detained at Ruiru Police Station.

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Wanyeki was serving a life sentence at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison following his 2007 conviction for allegedly sexually assaulting his two minor daughters.

However, the Kiambu High Court overturned his conviction following new testimony from his now adult daughters who admitted that their grandmother forced them to falsely accuse them.

The daughters’ revelations shed light on injustice, prompting the court to consider their earlier confessions as coerced and grant Wanyeki his freedom.

Why Wanyeki was arrested again

However, as he began to adjust to life outside prison walls, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) intervened and recommended a retrial.

On Thursday, November 28, 2024, Wanyeki appeared before Chief Justice Yusuf Baraza in Thika Courts where the ODPP requested additional time to hear its case.

Despite the lack of formal charges, the court ordered Wanyeki to remain in custody until Wednesday, December 4, pending further developments in the situation.

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Wanyeki’s lawyer, Kiroko Ndegwa, expressed deep concern over his client’s continued detention, calling it a violation of his constitutional rights.

Ndegwa criticized the criminal justice system, calling for reforms to prevent similar cases of wrongful conviction.

“This is another case of a similar incident. It is not easy to find people committing sexual offenses in the act, but the beyond reasonable doubt aspect seems to be largely overlooked as I am convinced that was the case in this case,” Ndegwa lamented.

Source: TUKO.co.ke