Suspect in wife attack still under police custody

PHOTO: COURTESY

The man who chopped off his wife’s hands in Masii, Machakos County will remain in police custody as his request for bond awaits conclusion.

Stephen Ngila - through his lawyer Moses Kamolo, told Machakos senior resident magistrate K Kibelion that the reasons advanced by prosecution lawyers did not meet the mandatory threshold to deny him bail.

The prosecution, led by senior State counsel Joseph Gikonyo had earlier submitted a raft of arguments on why the court court should deny or delay bail for the suspect who has already pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted murder.

The prosecution argued that the accused, being the husband of the victim - Jackline Mwende - who is also the key witness, is likely to interfere with the case.

But defence lawyer Moses Kamolo trashed the submissions, terming them ‘imaginary arguments’ that cannot pass a judicial test. The court will rule on August 10 whether the suspect will be freed on bond.