Officer in lover killer case to spend another week in police custody

Administration Police officer  Patrick Oita Nyapara when he appeared before Kakamega Chief Magistrate Bildad Ochieng on March 18, 2019. [Benjamin Sakwa/Standard]

Court has ordered an Administration Police officer to remain in police custody for seven more days to alow more witnesses to record their statements.

Patrick Nyapara who is suspected of shooting dead his lover Christine Maonga, 26, on March 14 was expected to take plea on Monday but he never did, as some crucial witnesses are yet to record their statements.

An officer privy to the ongoing investigations told Standard Digital that the psychiatric test needed to be redone after the initial ones indicated that the suspect was unfit to stand trial.

The mental assessment tests conducted at Kakamega County General Hospital are set to be repeated to ascertain if indeed the suspect is mentally unstable to take a plea.

Also, a ballistic report on the murder weapon is also yet to be released to the investigators who have consequently applied for more days to conclude their probe.

Police believe Nyapara shot the woman on the head at her home in Navakholo Township after an altercation.

The autopsy indicated that the deceased, who was a teacher at Navakholo Secondary School, died of a single bullet wound with the projectile tearing through her head to the lungs where it was found.

Kakamega Chief Pathologist Dixon Mchana formed the opinion that the cause of death was a head injury.

He forwarded the retrieved bullet to be matched with the suspect's Czeska Pistol to ascertain if the killer bullet was fired from the weapon.

The suspect was arrested two days after the shooting while trying to flee the country to neighbouring Uganda through Busia border.

Kakamega Chief Magistrate ordered the accused to remain locked at Kakamega Police Station until April 2 when the case shall be mentioned for further directions.