A police officer among suspects arraigned over robbery with violence

Three suspects, including a police officer, were charged before an Eldoret court over robbery with violence in Uasin Gishu County.

The suspects, Mahatt Abdullahi, Ernest Odongo alias Party and Phillip Edasi, appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Daniel Sitati on Wednesday and denied the charges.

According to the Investigation Officer attached to Turbo DCI sub-county PC Joseph Komol, Edasi is a police officer attached to the Eldoret Central Police Station.

They are accused that on April 4, 2026, at Mti Moja in Turbo sub-county, with others, not before court, while armed with a pistol, robbed a trader Zaid Abdi of cash and mobile phones, all valued at more than Sh14.9 million.

The prosecutions listed the items they stole, including mobile phones, Samsung A4S, valued at Sh32,000, iphone 11 promax valued at Sh150,000, cash 105200 USD equivalent to Sh13,465,600 and Sh1,310,000, all totaling to Sh14,957,600.

The accused appealed to be released on bond, but Sitati allowed only Abdullahi to be released on a cash bail of Sh200,000 after his lawyer Richard Waringi argued that he complied when he was granted police bond.

Waringi further told the court that since his arrest two weeks ago, he had been complying with directives and the officers never complained that he is a flight risk.

“Your Honor my client is not a flight risk as it has been said by the Investigation officer, and even his place of abord is well known. I want to promise the court that he is going to cooperate fully within the police whenever required,” the lawyer argued

PC Joseph Komol and prosecutor Eunice Rono had earlier asked the court not to release the suspects because they were a flight risk and may interfere with investigations.

Komol shocked the court when he said that his life is in danger following threats by the police officer.

He claimed that apart from the accused in court, there were several suspects including another police officer whose gun was used during the raid.

The investigation officers claimed that the owner of the gun, who is also a police officer, was on leave when the incident happened and use the government weapon illegally.

The two officers together with other accomplices are on the run since the robbery incident occurred one week ago.   

“Your Honor, the suspect is a dangerous person, he has already threatened me, if released he is likely to harm me as well as interfere with ongoing investigations, let him stay in cell until we complete our investigation,” Komol appealed.

The officer further informed the court that four other suspects including another police officer, were on the run and were being sought in connection with the incident.

“We don’t oppose granting them bond there are compelling reasons as to why the accused person should not be released on bail or bond pending the determination and the hearing of the trial and therefore we humbly pray that the Court does exercise its discretion and deny the accused persons bond,” Komol stated in his affidavit.

“Truly speaking Your Honor, I really faced challenges in handling the suspects since we came across them, kindly consider our lives. This case has a lot of challenges that need time and sacrifices,” he added

He told court they hard time they faced before arresting the accused persons, saying that if granted bond or cash bail, they may skip attending court.

However, Edasi admitted before court that he was a police officer, arguing that all his details are known by his employer and he would not abscond if released on bond. 

Sitati directed that a pre-bail report be filed in court before he makes a determination on the bail application of the two suspects.

“I do not have any objection with the first accused person because he cooperated well with the officers since he was granted bond at the police station but the two other suspects will remain in custody until further notice,” he ordered

The case will be mentioned on April 30, 2026.