Police officers linked to theft to remain in custody

Four police officers attached to Kasarani and Ruai Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers who were arrested in connection with robbing an accountant of Sh2.2 million in a car within Utawala will remain in custody until Friday pending a probe into theft allegations. 

Milimani Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo allowed the Director of Public Prosecution(DPP) and DCI application to continue holding the suspects Sergeant Antony Ndegwa, Corporal Daniel Lekakeny Sunkuli, Police Constables Simon Macharia Maina, Anthony Mwendwa (Ruai) and civilians Young Wakhisi and Lukas Magoiga Chacha alias Rama for four days at Ruai and Kayole Police Stations. 

"Considering all submissions made by the parties and the fact that the respondents have been in custody since their arrest last week on Thursday. I hereby allow the prosecution application and they will be held for four days only," ruled Onsarigo. 

The magistrate ordered the four officers to be held at Kayole Police Station while the two civilians be detained at Ruai Police Station pending completion of the investigations. 

Further, the investigating officer has been directed to escort Wakhisi to Kenyatta National Hospital for treatment. 

The decision by the court comes after the prosecution through state counsel James Gachoka on Friday last week urged the court to allow detectives to continue detaining the six suspects who were arrested at Kasarani Police Station parking yard. 

The DCI through Inspector Dominic Omondi wanted the suspects held two weeks. 

The police told Magistrate Onsarigo that after the arrest of the six, police established that Wakhisi and Chacha were the main suspects involved in the theft as captured in the CCTV footage.

"I am seeking the 14 days to enable the police to complete investigations, pursue other suspects who are at large and well known to them and also assist in the recovery of the motor vehicle used in the commission of the offence as well as recovery of the remaining amount and also identify M-Pesa shops where money was allegedly withdrawn," Omondi told the court.

Gachoka stated that police needed to retrieve and analyse the CCTV Images by photographic, imaging and acoustics experts from the DCI headquarters.