Dennis Munyao, a popular TikTok police officer known as Afande Denno, has come forward with shocking claims that he was strangled by a fellow officer during his arrest in Pangani, Nairobi, on Friday night.
Speaking to a local media station, Munyao said he was with his cousin when five men approached and told him they needed to talk. Initially cooperative, he said panic set in when they directed him into a Subaru vehicle, prompting him to flee before being captured and allegedly assaulted.
“They took me in the car and drove towards the DCI headquarters. During the ride, one of them strangled me,” Munyao alleged.
According to Munyao, the officers accused him of tarnishing the image of the National Police Service (NPS) by freely interacting with protestors and filming police actions during recent anti-police brutality demonstrations in Nairobi.
At the DCI headquarters, he was interrogated for 45 minutes over his involvement in documenting protests — including those demanding the resignation of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat following the death of Albert Ojwang in police custody.
“They asked me why I was always in the streets filming and whether I had any links to politicians behind the protests,” he recounted.
Munyao said officers repeatedly questioned his relationship with Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, and whether he knew who was financing the protests. He denied any connection.
“I told them I only know Babu Owino as a politician. I have never met him,” he said.
The detectives seized his phone for forensic analysis and told him he could retrieve it the following day.
Afande Denno, who joined the police in 2017, has gained popularity on TikTok and YouTube.His TikTok page has more than 274,000 followers and more than 4.4 million likes, where he regularly posts about his life in the NPS.
Munyao joined the NPS in 2017 and was posted to Kagaa, Kiambu, before he was moved to Kware, Nairobi. He was then posted to Dagaharey in Garissa County this year
“During the recording of my statement, I felt at home and they treated me well,” he added.
He also stated that the DCI officers questioned the exact timeline of his protest coverage and whether he witnessed or knew anyone involved in looting — to which he said no.
Munyao joined the NPS in 2017 and was posted to Kagaa, Kiambu, before he was moved to Kware, Nairobi. He was then posted to Dagaharey in Garissa County this year.
