Five police officers charged with the murder of a suspect at Changamwe Polie Station in Mombasa languish in police cells four years after their arrest.
This comes after the office of the directorate of public prosecution (ODPP) vehemently objected to their release on bond or cash bail pending the hearing and determination of their murder charge.
The hearing of the murder charge which was scheduled for today was adjourned after the defense counsel told the Court that the prosecution had not supplied to accused persons the evidence they wish to rely on prosecution.
Lawyer Dunstan Omari for the defense told the Court that IPOA is on the run to punish police officers and surprisingly, the state is doing nothing to protect the officers.
The officers; Khalif Abdulahi Sigat, James Muli Koti, Joseph Odhiambo Sirawa, Edward Kongo Onchonga and Nelson Nkanae pleaded not guilty to the murder charges.
The deceased; Caleb Ospino Otieno, was arrested on Saturday, September 18, 2018 on suspicion of being in possession of illegal alcohol.
At around 9pm on the same day the suspect was moved from the cells and transferred to the Coast General Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
“The investigation, among other findings, established that Mr. Otieno’s death was occasioned by multiple injuries inflicted with blunt object.” said IPOA in a statement.
The suspect had been booked as “unknown”.
The case has since been pending in Court with the cold war between the state and the defense being the main cause.
