By Andrew Kariuki
A Nairobi court has allowed police to continue holding a murder suspect for 21 days to enable investigators to complete ongoing inquiries into a fatal assault reported in the Ngara area.
The ruling was made after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), applied for extended detention of Erick Kamande Muthoni, also known as Erico, who was arrested in connection with the murder of Dickson Gitonga Muriuki, alias Kanyiri.
According to court documents, the suspect was arrested on January 5, 2026 and booked at Central Police Station.
Investigators told the court that preliminary inquiries established that a confrontation occurred between the suspect and the deceased, during which the deceased was struck on the head with a sharp object, causing fatal injuries.
The prosecution informed the court that the suspect has no known fixed place of residence, no identifiable family contacts and does not own or use a mobile phone, factors which they argued present a high risk of absconding if released on bail.
Police further stated that investigations are at a critical stage, noting that the suspect has indicated willingness to assist officers in locating the alleged murder weapon and in identifying co-suspects who are still at large and believed to be hiding in Isiolo and Nanyuki.
The State argued that releasing the suspect at this stage would likely interfere with investigations, compromise the arrest of other suspects, and jeopardize the safety of key witnesses.
Investigators also told the court that public unrest was reported at the time of the suspect’s arrest, raising concerns over his personal safety should he be released.
The prosecution confirmed that it supported the application for continued detention, citing compelling reasons under Article 49(1)(f) of the Constitution.
The court granted the application, ordering that the suspect be held at Central Police Station for 21 days to allow completion of investigations.
