Inspector-General of Police in Kenya, Hillary Mutyambai on Friday evening addressed photos of two brothers that had circulated online the better part of the day to speculations of them being terrorists.
In a statement, Mutyambai treated their case as one of mistaken identity and denied their involvement in any acts of terrorism.
The two brothers were pictured outside a supermarket and Kenyans online started circulating the pictures on suspicion of them being terrorists.
IG Mutyambai says photos of 2 brothers, pictured outside a supermarket, circulating on social media are not terrorists. pic.twitter.com/DX8qSX6dbm
— CapitalFM Breaking News (@BreakingNewsKE) January 10, 2020
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations(DCI) encouraged and thanked anyone who may see and report any suspicious person(s) or activities to the police or any government agency but warned them not to circulate in the social media.
“This may endanger innocent persons who may be victimized by way of assault or even death by agitated members of the public or unnecessary encounter by security agencies.”
A statement from the DCI read in part.
The sleuths department also insisted that the police would investigate and inform the public of the status of the report or information with respect to any suspicious information reported.
This may endanger innocent persons who may be victimized by way of assault or even death by agitated members of the public or unnecessary encounter by security agencies. The police will investigate and inform the public of the status of the report/information in respect to…3/4
— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) January 10, 2020
This comes in the wake of an Al Shabaab attack that left three people on January 2, 2020 morning killed by suspected Al Shabaab militants when a bus they were travelling in was attacked along Lamu-Garsen Highway.
The bus was travelling from Mombasa to Lamu when the suspected militants flagged it down at Nyongoro area.
The driver of the ill-fated vehicle refused to stop and sped off, forcing the militants to shoot at the bus several times.
It is reported that he suspected the group could be terrorists. He sped off, forcing the attackers to spray the bus with bullets.