Maid, neighbor to be held for interfering with witnesses in murder case

A house-help and her friend will spend two weeks in custody in connection with a murder case.

Lilian Nasambu and Jane Nekesa were alleged to have kidnapped and murdered Leon Kipsaina on July 25 at Lumakanda, Lugari sub-county, with others not before court.

They had demanded ransom in order to release the child.

The two have denied the charges and are waiting for a pre-bail report.

According to submissions by State Counsel Samson Ng'etich, who was representing the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the incident was prompted by a land sale dispute.

Sour revenge

Kipsaina’s family had allegedly bought a parcel of land from Nekesa.

Nekesa delayed to process the title deed and when Kipsaina's family insisted on getting the document, she allegedly responded by kidnapping their child.

Through their lawyers Gilbert Imbenzi and Nick Biketi, the accused applied to be released on reasonable bond terms, arguing that this was their constitutional right.

But Mr Ng'etich objected to the application, arguing that the accused were a threat to the witnesses.

Ng'etich told the court that the accused have been sending threatening messages to Kipsaina's family.

He filed an affidavit by the investigating officer, Geoffrey Mwela, which said that the family had on many occassions received intimidating messages from the accused.

Justice Jesse Njagi ordered that the probation officers file a pre-bail report on December 19.