Court directs Muchai murder suspects to be taken blood samples

Seven suspects linked to the killing of former Kabete MP George Muchai in the dock at the Milimani Law Courts. They were remanded up to Friday to enable police to complete investigations. [PHOTO: GEORGE NJUNGE/STANDARD]

KENYA: A Nairobi court has directed police to extract blood samples from four of the seven suspects believed to have murdered the late Kabete MP George Muchai and his three aides.

The seven suspects — Erick Muyera Isabwa alias Chairman, Raphael Kimani Gachii alias Butcher, Mustafa Kimani Anyonyi alias Musto, Stephen Asitiva Lipapo alias Chokori, Jane Wanjiru Kamau alias Shiro, Margaret Njeri and Simon Wambugu Gichamba — appeared in court yesterday but the prosecution asked for more time to complete investigations before they are formally charged.

Milimani Resident Magistrate Joseph Karanja ordered that four of the suspects be escorted to Kenyatta National Hospital or the Government Chemist to have their blood samples taken.

“I direct that due diligence is done in the process of extracting and storing of blood samples of the suspects so that the process is not messed up. The exercise must also be conducted in the presence of a certified doctor,” Karanja said.

Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Aloise Kemo told the court that the suspects had declined on Thursday last week to have their blood taken at Mbagathi Hospital, saying they could not comply with the directive without proper explanation or a court order requiring them to give the samples for comparison with the evidence that was gathered from the scene of crime.

Mr Kemo said investigators presented three files to Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko who, upon perusal, instructed them on key outstanding areas that needed to be covered before the seven are charged.

He said owing to the complexity of the case the investigators required three more weeks to wrap up their probe into the incident and a spate of robberies that occurred that night.

Mr Karanja, however, declined to grant the prosecution’s request to allow police continue to detain the seven for a further 21 days, and instead directed the suspects to appear before him on Friday.

He said despite the seriousness of the charges they are likely to face, there was need for police to abide by the law in holding the suspects in custody.