By Nicolo Gnecchi

NAIROBI, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Kenyan detectives detained Health Minister Charity Ngilu on Friday after she stormed into a police station and freed an arrested activist earlier this week.

Ngilu, the east African nation's most prominent female politician, had not been arrested but was making a statement to authorities, police chief Hussein Ali said.

"Helping a suspect escape from police custody is a very serious offence," Ali told reporters. "Nobody is above the law ... If a minister commits an offence they should face the legal consequences in court like any other Kenyan."

Ngilu was also detained for several hours late on Thursday and questioned about Tuesday's incident, which followed an angry demonstration outside parliament.

Kenya's High Court on Friday ordered she be freed from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters by the end of the day. Dozens of her supporters thronged outside the locked CID gates, many chanting and singing anti-government songs.

A flamboyant one-time presidential hopeful, Ngilu forced her way into Nairobi's Central Police Station to rescue civil rights campaigner Ann Njogu, who Ngilu said was being beaten by police.

Njogu had been arrested during a protest against plans to grant members of parliament big pay rises.

"I am a girl and am here to defend their rights. Leave her alone," the minister was quoted shouting as she hustled Njogu into her government-issued car and then sped past shocked police officers. Njogu was later re-arrested before being released.

Paul Muite, Ngilu's lawyer, said the minister's detention was illegal and politically motivated.

"She is being subjected to further harassment and humiliation ... This is clearly political," he told Reuters.

Ngilu, who is known for her fiery temper and independent stance on government policies, is seen as a key player ahead of elections in December and is being courted by opponents trying to lure her away from President Mwai Kibaki's administration.

Tuesday's demonstration was called to protest against a plan to grant Kenyan lawmakers more than $20 million in severance pay packages ahead of the polls.

The parliamentarians angered the public -- many of whom view them as greedy and lazy -- by quadrupling their salaries in 2003 as their first order of business after being elected.

A typical Kenyan legislator earns at least $12,000 a month, including generous allowances, while an average teacher earns about $250. MPs say they need the money for travel to far-flung constituencies and to meet regular demands for cash. (Additional reoporting by Robert Hummy)

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