The Government is today expected to explain in court why the Kenya Defence Forces is detaining a female soldier at its Lanet Military Academy.
Last week, Ministry of Defence officials asked for more time to give a detailed report why Mercy Mweru Kurii, a soldier at the military facility, was being held.
Nakuru High Court Judge Joel Ngugi gave them until April 2, to explain why the woman was in their custody.
“When the matter comes up, the Ministry must respond to the suit filed against it,” directed Judge Ngugi.
On March 25, Elijah Kibet Kemboi, Mweru’s husband sued two senior State officers for allegedly detaining his wife at Lanet Military Academy.
Mr Kemboi sued the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Defence and the Attorney General.
Military police
In a sworn affidavit, Kemboi said that his wife was arrested by military police on January 9 2019.
He submitted to the court that since then, his wife has been incarcerated without any legal reason.
He is urging the High Court to order the release of his wife without conditions. Mweru is said to have been arrested under unclear circumstances and she is yet to be arraigned in court 57 days later.
Her lawyer Mongare Gekong’a had made an application under a Certificate of Urgency, indicating that Mweru had been in custody for many days without any justification from the Government.
“Our client has been confined into the cells without being presented before any court. If indeed she committed an offence, then its time we are told about it,” read the application.
According to Kemboi, Mweru, who has not been in touch with her five year-old daughter, has suffered for long in custody.
“I have made numerous attempts to visit her, but they will not allow me to. Police have not arraigned her in court to charge her officially,” said Kemboi.
An application presented in court revealed that a letter demanding the release of Mweru was written to the Commanding Officer, Kenya Military Academy Lanet, but no action has been taken by the Ministry of Defence.
