Police seek 14-day detention for Tiaty MP William Kamket over Laikipia violence

Tiaty Mp William Kamket at Rift Valley regional criminal investigations headquarters in Nakuru on September 8, 2021. He was arrested for allegedly being involved in the ongoing insecurity incidents in Laikipia County. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The prosecution is seeking to have Tiaty MP William Kamket detained for 14 days pending investigations.

The MP was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the violence in Laikipia County that has left eight people dead and hundreds displaced.

Today morning, the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) filed a miscellaneous application at the Nakuru Chief Magistrate court seeking more time to conclude investigation into the allegations of murder, robbery with violence, stock theft, malicious damage to property, and incitement to violence against the Kanu legislator.

The application was filed under a certificate of urgency, and the lawmaker is expected to be arraigned anytime now.

He is being held at Kaptembwo police station.

Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecution Alloys Kemo said the offences that Kamket is linked to had led to the loss of lives, grave injuries, and displacement of people within Laikipia County.

"There are several aspects of the case yet to be concluded, including recording of statements from witnesses, obtaining postmortem reports of deceased persons, and tracing and arresting of suspected perpetrators, thus ample time required to complete investigations," reads the application in part.

Kemo argues that due to the complexity of the matter, DCI Laikipia County has sought assistance from the DCI in Nakuru to allow better coordination in investigations between officers in the two counties.