Police Commander Philip Ndolo has revealed why they stormed activist Mildred Owiso's home on Saturday.
According to Ndolo, Owiso's house was teargassed because she refused to come out of the house for the officers to execute the arrest.
Owiso is accused of inciting the public into violence after she was arrested for obstructing traffic laws.
Speaking with K24 Digital via a phone call, the police commander condemned the act of the women throwing out an officer from Owiso's car.
“The police officers identified themselves and asked the suspect to open her door so that they could effect an arrest, but the suspect refused to allow the officers in. She locked her door from the inside, making it difficult for the arrest to be made,” Nairobi police boss Philip Ndolo told K24 Digital on phone on Saturday noon.
“Honestly, what would you do if you are a law enforcement officer and a suspect refuses to let you arrest her over an alleged crime? The officers assigned to arrest her followed the lawful procedure – one: identify yourself, two: reveal why you are at the suspect’s premises, three: ask him or her to surrender, four: should he or she refuse, then use any means possible to effect the arrest. That is what we did and use of teargas to smoke out an uncooperative suspect is not illegal in any way,” added Ndolo.
The arrest was made after Owiso allegedly threw out an officer from her car on Friday with the assistance of the public. Owiso accused the officer of entering her car without permission.