AP charged with defiling girl on the run, says officer

AP Commandant Francis Kirathe    PHOTO: COURTESY

By PATRICK KIBET

Nakuru, Kenya: An Administration Policeman who jumped bail in a case where he is charged in a Nakuru court with defiling a minor is yet to be arrested.

Philip Maritim, an AP senior sergeant, was first charged and released on bail on December 2, last year.

Nakuru County AP Commandant Francis Kirathe admitted before Senior Resident Magistrate Judicaster Nthuku on Friday that the police are still searching for the accused after he went underground.

Kirathe had been summoned to explain why the police could not arrest the accused since he jumped bail one month ago.

“I have done what I could to arrest the said man. I have officers who are tracking him. According to the assistant chief, the last indication he was home was on February 27,” he explained.

Nthuku, however, castigated the police for treating the matter casually.

The magistrate openly expressed her disappointment with the manner the police had failed to even honour court summons, thereby stalling the case.

Maritim is accused of defiling a minor at Kivumbini AP line on November 28, last year.

Denied charge

The officer denied the charge when he appeared in court in December last year and was released on Sh50,000 cash bail.

The minor was then living with her aunt who is a junior AP officer.

The case, which has had a fair share of drama, has seen the court issue several warrants of arrest with the police admitting at one stage the administration police were not willing to apprehend the accused.

The officer appeared in court on December 23, last year, but the police file was mysteriously missing, forcing the court to adjourn hearing of the case.

When the Nakuru officer in-charge of crime Paul Omollo appeared before court in January 16, he revealed that the officer was upcountry but told the court APs were reluctant to sign court summons on behalf of Kirathe.

Kirathe asked the court for two weeks to arrest the accused and produce him in court.

The case will be mentioned on February 10.