Four suspects linked to the lynching of four women in Marani, Kisii County, will spend 10 more days in police custody.
Kisii Senior Resident Magistrate Paul Mutui yesterday allowed an application to detain the suspects awaiting postmortem results and the mental assessment report.
The prosecution also sought more time to record statements from witnesses and the suspects.
Amos Nyakundi Ondieki, Chrispine Ogeto Mokua, Peter Angwenyi Kwanga and Ronald Ombati Onyonka were arrested separately on Monday and spent the night at the Kisii Police Station.
Investigations officer Corporal Zepedeo Waeire told the court that he required 14 days to further probe the killings.
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But lawyer Shaffin Kaba, representing the accused, opposed the application. “There is no charge sheet, nor has the prosecution shown any compelling reasons to hold the four in police custody. There were no allegations of witness interference. They have a right under Article 149 (h) to be released on reasonable bond terms,” Kaba said.
However, the magistrate pointed out that the matter was of public interest.
“Considering the gravity of the matter, I allow the prosecution 10 days to conduct their investigations. Murder is a serious offence, and we must allow the prosecution to prove their case,” Mutui said.
The four will be detained at the Rioma Police station. The matter will be mentioned on Friday next week.
Police arrested the four suspects after a video of the four victims being lynched went viral on social media.
The victims were 60-year-old Jemima Mironga, 53-year-old Agnes Ototo, Sigara Onkware, 62, and Sindege Mayaka, 85. Two relatives of one of the deceased are nursing injuries they sustained as they tried to protect their kin.
