MACHAKOS, Kenya, Jun 2 – A police officer based at Dabel police station in Moyale, Marsabit county was on Wednesday arraigned at the Machakos Law Courts where he pleaded not guilty to the killing of Joshua Mungai, an Ongata Rongai based matatu conductor.
Appearing before Justice George Odunga, constable Edwin Oscar Okimaru denied the charges that he alongside other accomplices committed the heinous crime.
The court directed the accused defense team to present written submissions for bond application in 2 days, after which they should also present it to the prosecution who will in turn file an opposing statement.
The matter is now set to be mentioned on June 7, during when the court will determine whether the accused will be granted bail or not.
The accused is being held at the Muthaiga police station.
Okimaru was arrested by homicide detectives after he was linked to the brutal torture that led to the death of Mungai, on May 14.
DCI Homicide Unit and the Cybercrime and Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau, forensically placed him at the scene of the crime.
The matter was transferred to the DCI headquarters along Kiambu road after the family of the deceased decried a lack of efficiency by police at the Ongata Rongai Police Station, where the case had been reported.
“In our findings that involved investigative interviewing of eye witnesses, forensic autopsy analysis by Chief Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor and combing of the scene, the detectives indeed concluded that the suspect was at the scene of the murder, in the fateful night,” the DCI stated.
On April 18 at around 10pm, the deceased alongside two others only identified as Njenga and George, were arrested for allegedly violating curfew orders by the suspects.
The three were assaulted before being bundled into the trunk of a private car.
The vehicle was then driven to Tuala bridge area, where the victims were dumped into the river.
Miraculously, George who had been tied up using a rope managed to free himself, before rescuing to safety the deceased and Njenga who had been extensively assaulted.
George then managed to call a boda boda rider who was riding past and together, they helped the deceased who couldn’t walk, on to the motorbike.
However, they couldn’t assist the deceased to the hospital for fear of coming across the two suspects who had beaten them senseless.
George and Njenga limped off to different directions, leaving the deceased close to Nazarene University, unaware of the dangers posed by hyenas and other carnivores, that scavenge in the nearby Nairobi National Park at night.
Luckily the following morning, a good samaritan assisted the deceased to Ongata Rongai health center, where he received first aid before being transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital, in critical condition.
Unfortunately, two days later he passed away while undergoing treatment.
The deceased died as a result of chest injuries due to blunt trauma.
He had also suffered broken ribs and bones, indicating that he had been tortured prior to his death.
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