The Director of Public Prosecutions has petitioned a court to charge Lawyer Assa Nyakundi with the murder of his son.
He was initially charged with the offence of manslaughter of his own son before Kiambu law courts but before the DPP could effectively withdraw the case before the said Court, the DPP chose to initiate another charge of Murder against the High Court.Â
The state says that before they could canvas on the issue of withdrawing the case before Kiambu law court, another instruction came directing the to charge Lawyer Nyakundi with Murder instead of manslaughter, hence the trial before the said court had to take a new twist by whatever provisions.
In the application, the DPP informed the bench of Lady Justice Grace Nzioka, Justice Jesse Nyagah, and Lady Justice Doreen Chepkwony that after investigating the case of Joseph Bogonko Nyakundi’s unlawful death, they now seek to charge the veteran lawyer with murder.
Joseph Bogonko Nyakundi died on March 17, 2019, and the DPP decided to charge Assa Kibagendi Nyakundi with manslaughter based on the evidence at the time, which the DPP argued was subject to review upon receipt of all pending evidence, including the ballistic expert report and forensic crime scene reconstruction report.
The law states that the High Court may request and examine the record of any criminal proceedings before any subordinate court for the purpose of determining the correctness, legality, or propriety of any finding, sentence, or order recorded or passed, as well as the regularity of any proceedings of any such subordinate court under the High Court’s power.
A first-class subordinate court may request and examine the record of any criminal proceedings conducted by a lower-class subordinate court established within its local jurisdiction.Â
for the purpose of ascertaining the legality, correctness, and propriety of any finding, sentence, or order recorded or passed, as well as the regularity of the proceedings.
In his defense, Nyakundi emphasized that the DPP failed to provide reasons for review for him to be charged with murder under nolle prosecu.
He also claimed that the DPP application is null and void, invalid, and more akin to an appeal than a review.
Assa Kibagendi Nyakundi was charged with manslaughter for causing the death of Joseph Bogonko Nyakundi and released on a lenient bond after being arraigned before Kiambu Chief Magistrate Court.
Further investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations uncovered new evidence, and the DPP has filed an application seeking High Court authority to charge the accused with murder via directions.
The DPP reviewed the file and ordered that the charges at the lower Criminal Court be dropped and the accused be arraigned in the High Court to answer the murder charge.
The prosecutor, led by Alexander Muteti, Gikui Gichuhi, and Oliver Murithi, described the accused’s protest against the application not to be charged with murder as having no legal basis.
Get Published Today
Email: uzalendonews24@gmail.com to submit your story.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
