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Ask the Constitution

Can police arrest me without telling me why?

No

No. An arrested person must be told promptly, in a language they understand, the reason for the arrest.

Article 49 says an arrested person has the right to be informed promptly, in a language they understand, of the reason for the arrest, of their right to remain silent, and of the consequences of not remaining silent.

“to be informed promptly, in a language that the person understands, of— (i) the reason for the arrest”

Article 49: Rights of arrested persons

Read the Articles

More questions like this

NoCan police hold me for days without taking me to court?No. You must be brought before a court within 24 hours, or by the end of the next court day if that time ends outside court hours.YesCan I stay silent if I am arrested?Yes. An arrested person has the right to remain silent and cannot be forced to confess.NoCan police beat or torture someone to get information?No. Everyone has the right not to be tortured or treated in a cruel, inhuman or degrading way, and this right can never be limited.It dependsDo I have a right to be released on bail after arrest?Usually yes, on reasonable conditions, unless there are compelling reasons not to release you.

Summaries and answers are a plain-English guide written by Iam254, not legal advice. The official text is what counts. Official text: Constitution of Kenya, 2010, Kenya Law (National Council for Law Reporting), legislation as at 3 September 2010. It has not been amended since.