The highly publicized arrest of city businessman and popular TikTok personality Godfrey Kakan Maiyo, known widely as "Kan" on social media, culminated in his release on Friday, July 11, 2025, on a Ksh10,000 police cash bail. This development follows a dramatic detention that captured significant public attention and sparked renewed concerns about the limits of free speech and digital activism in Kenya.
Maiyo's arrest was executed by plain-clothed detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) who reportedly entered his office forcefully before taking him into custody. The high-profile nature of the arrest immediately drew scrutiny, especially given Maiyo's reputation for openly criticizing government shortcomings and alleged police misconduct on his popular TikTok platform.
On the very day of his release, Maiyo’s legal team, led by the vice-president of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Mwaura Kabata, strongly called for the charges against the businessman to be dropped. Their primary contention was the glaring absence of any formal charges despite his detention. This point was underscored in a press release by his lawyers, who stated, “The DCI failed to arraign him in court despite claiming he would be presented at Kahawa Law Courts. This is a total infringement on his rights.” This highlights a critical legal principle: the right of an arrested person to be promptly informed of charges and presented before a court.
Reports indicate a convoluted path to his eventual release. Maiyo was reportedly taken to Milimani Law Courts just hours before his release, but crucially, he was not presented for arraignment. Instead, he was returned to Muthaiga Police Station, where the police cash bail was subsequently processed. A police cash bail, typically issued at a police station, allows an arrested individual temporary freedom while awaiting their formal court appearance, underscoring that no official charges had yet been formally laid.
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The DCI had initially indicated that Maiyo would be arraigned at Kahawa Law Courts, adding to the confusion surrounding the process. Authorities' allegations against Maiyo center on a now-viral video in which he is purportedly heard inciting violence against police officers and their families. While the DCI has not officially confirmed the exact video that triggered his arrest, one recent clip shows Maiyo making an impassioned plea to officers. In it, he urged them to desist from the abductions of unarmed Kenyans and to refuse being used as tools by powerful interests. He specifically appealed to officers to consider their own families, children, siblings, and loved ones when given orders to abduct activists.
Maiyo's content on TikTok also includes reactions to other sensitive recent events, such as the tragic death of blogger Albert Ojwang, who passed away while in police custody. Such commentary further positions him as a vocal critic of authority.
Despite his release on bail, Kakan Maiyo is now expected to appear at Milimani Law Courts on July 14, 2025, at 8:00 am. His lawyers, however, remain steadfast in their stance, maintaining that the entire case should be dropped due to the lack of formal charges and what they perceive as continued violations of his constitutional rights.
