Six suspects in court over MP's murder

Six suspects, among them two women, linked to the murder of Kabete MP George Muchai were Monday remanded for 22 days to allow police to complete investigations.

Milimani Principal Magistrate Benson Nzakyo directed that Erick Muyera Isabwa alias Chairman, Raphael Kimani Gachii alias Kim, Mustafa Kimani Anyonyi alias Musti, Stephen Asitiva Lipapo alias Chokore, Jane Wanjiru Kamau alias Chiro and Margaret Njeri be remanded at Central Police Station. They will remain in custody until March 10 when the court is expected to issue further directions.

“I find merit in the application and hence allow it as framed,” Nzakyo said.

Prosecutor Duncan Ondimu said the suspects were being investigated in relation to a series of robberies within Nairobi and Kiambu, including the incident on February 7 in which Muchai and his three aides were killed.

Firearms recovered

He said the suspects were likely to face murder and robbery with violence charges.

Ondimu asked the court to remand the suspects for 22 days because two firearms recovered during their arrests were yet to be subjected to ballistic examination to establish if they were used in the series of robberies that night.

“In the course of investigations two firearms, one believed to have been used in the commission of the robberies and another stolen from the victim, were recovered from the residence of the suspects. The investigators therefore require time to investigate and identify the source of the firearms,” he told the court.

The prosecutor further told the court that the suspects, who were arrested last Friday in various places in Kiambu County, were helping police to apprehend their accomplices.

According to the police, a G3 rifle with seven bullets and a pistol that was stolen from one of Muchai’s bodyguards were recovered from one of the suspects. Police are however, yet to recover the briefcase that was stolen from Muchai’s car.

Monday’s development brings to seven the number of suspects who have been arraigned in court in connection with the murder of the MP.  Simon Wambugu Gachamba appeared in court last week.

Meanwhile, the High Court has restrained Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi and three Members of Parliament from linking six Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) officials to Muchai’s death.

Justice Alfred Mabeya directed Kambi, Moses Kuria (Gatundu South), Francis Waititu (Juja) and Alice Ng’ang’a (Thika Town) from making any statements linking the officials to the death until a case they have filed against them is heard and determined.

Through their lawyers Jesse Odour and Samuel Aduda, the officials led by Secretary General Francis Atwoli moved to court Monday on a certificate of urgency. Atwoli said utterances by the four during Muchai’s burial last week were malicious and meant to injure his good reputation.

“The defendants jointly and severally and in conspiracy, falsely, wrongly and maliciously, with intent to injure my reputation and character conspired to write, publish, print, broadcast and distribute defamatory words or statements about me,’’ he said.