Police officer accused of rape, assault in varsity student’s case detained

An Administration Police (AP) officer suspected of raping and chopping off the hand of a third-year female student of Kibabii University and causing bodily harm to the student was arraigned in a Bungoma court on Tuesday.

The AP officer is said to have attacked the student on November 21, 2019, while they were going back to their hostels at Tuuti Trading Centre in the company of three other girls. They were coming from an entertainment joint around 11 pm.

The student is fighting for her life at St Luke's Hospital in Eldoret. 

The suspect, Erick Muthama, is among security officers deployed to the university to provide security.

Inspector Nicholas Oluoch, an investigating officer pleaded with the court to be granted seven days to hold the suspect in custody so that they can complete their investigations.

 Mr Oluoch also told the court that the complainant (the student) had not yet recorded a statement with the police since she was still in critical condition and undergoing treatment in the hospital.

“We are yet to take DNA tests on the student and the suspect which will help us in the investigations. We also want to have the complainant record her statement so that we can prepare charges for the suspect,” said Oluoch.

Bungoma Resident Magistrate Wamboi Githongori granted the request to have the suspect held in police custody for seven days so as to allow investigations to be completed.

“The suspect be produced in court after seven days so that he can take plea to the charges before him,” she ruled.