Doctor wanted as Venezuelan diplomat still in custody

Muhammed Ahmed Mohammed Hassan, the doctor's wanted by police over Venezuelan ambassador death.

 

By Cyrus Ombati and Judy Ogutu

Police have circulated photographs of a Kenyan doctor wanted in connection with the murder of the Venezuela ambassador to Kenya Olga Fonsesca Jimerez.

Police say they cannot trace Muhammed Ahmed Mohammed Hassan who has been mentioned in the probe into the death of the envoy whose body was discovered in her Runda home last Friday.

“The person whose photographs are hereby attached going by the names Muhammed Ahmed Mohammed Hassan is wanted by Criminal Investigations Department Nairobi Area in connection with a case of murder involving the late Mrs Olga Fonsesca Jimerez who was until her tragic death the charge D'affairs Venezuelan Embassy in Nairobi,” said police spokesman Eric Kiraithe.

Kiraithe asked for public help to trace Hassan and revealed a warrant of arrest had been issued by a Nairobi court on July 31.

Detectives handling the case of the ambassador led by Nairobi CID police boss Nicholas Kamwende moved to court to request a warrant of arrest for Mr Hassan.

Investigations had shown the suspect is a close friend of the embassy’s First Secretary Dwight Saragay, who was arraigned on Monday over the same charges.

State counsel Tabitha Ouya, applied for a 14-day detention of Mr Dwight but was given six days to allow his office complete investigations before bringing up formal murder charge against

Lady Justice Florence Muchemi ruled that the suspect will be detained for six and not 14 days as requested by the State.

Mr Sagaray was arrested on Saturday after his diplomatic immunity was waived, but police did not manage to compile all the necessary evidence.

Two other guards were charged with failing to stop a felony over the same incdent.

Police say Dr Ahmed and Mr Saragay had been following the progress of investigations into charges of alleged sexual harassment against the embassy former ambassador, which had been reported to the police in Gigiri in April this year.

Two senior government officials from Venezuela arrived in Nairobi at the weekend to push for investigations and arrest of those behind the murder of South American country’s ambassador to Kenya.

Fonseca was strangled in her house on Thursday night.

The acting ambassador had been staying at a hotel and had only moved to the embassy’s residence in Runda two days before she was killed on Thursday night.

Before her body was discovered in her bedroom, she had had a party at the residence in which several people are said to have attended on Thursday night.

Police said t Ms Fonseca, who arrived in Nairobi on July 15, had not been given a police escort nor was her residence guarded by police.

Police have established the envoy was murdered over power struggle at the embassy.

Continued detention

Meanwhile a Venezuelan diplomat, Dwight Sagaray who is being held by police following the murder of the embassy’s acting ambassador, Olga Fonsea Gimenez will be remanded for another six days at Gigiri Police station.

High Court Judge, Justice Florence Muchemi also directed police to arraign Sagaray in court within seven days if they find evidence against him.

Justice Muchemi said police had shown there are compelling reasons to continue holding him.

She however noted that continued detention of Sagaray, if not checked, may violate his rights.

Justice Muchemi said it is not disputed that Sagaray had acted as Ambassador for two months and he has substantial influence over junior staff.

“The chances of the respondents intimidating witnesses cannot be ruled out,” she said.

Deputy prosecuting counsel, Tabitha Ouya had sought to have Sagaray detained for 14 days to enable police conduct investigations without interference.

Ouya told the judge that they required more time to secure crucial evidence to apprehend other suspects.

In a sworn statement, police constable Lucas Juma had informed the court that the prosecution had stated that the postmortem report, age assessment and the DNA were yet to be attained from the government analysts.

Sagaray’s advocate, Jothan Arwa told the court that his client had been held in police custody for more than 24 hours. He sought to have him released on reasonable bail.

He further informed the court that his client was a student at the University of Nairobi and his continued incarceration had interfered with his studies.

The deceased was charge’d’ affaires and acting ambassador of Venezuela in Kenya and she had arrived in the country on July 15 to replace Ambassador Gerardo Carillo-Silva.