A Nairobi court has freed 16 boda-boda riders arrested over assault of a Zimbabwean diplomat earlier this month along the busy Wangari Maathai Road.
Their acquittal came after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) failed to prefer charges against them.
16 boda boda riders accused of assaulting a female motorist on Wangari Maathai road freed after prosecution fails to prefer charges against them, court rules pic.twitter.com/MzniC2qL3M
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) March 28, 2022
The riders have been asked to collect their personal possessions, including lDs and motorcycles, from Gigiri Police Station.
Those arrested and detained over the diplomat’s attack include; Zachariah Nyaore Obadiah, James Mutinda Muema, Samuel Wafula Muswahili, Charles Omondi Were, Japheth Bosire Obano, Hassan Farah Forah, and Wanjuki Lincoln Kinyanjui.
The others are Joseph Ngugi Mbugu, Lenson Fundi Njururi, Harrison Maina Irungu, Benjamin Ngure Githimii, Ignatius Shitekha Mufwolobo, Martin Kamau Maina, Shadrack Ambia Luyeku, Shadrack Kioko Nyamai, Cliff Gikobi Oyaro and Joseph Kibui Mukambi.
On March 10, Milimani Principal Magistrate Robert Shikwe ruled that the application by the prosecution to have the 16 suspects detained was merited.
Read: Zachariah Nyaora Detained for 10 Days in Forest Road Assault Case
He stated that the case was of public interest and that police needed more time to investigate the matter.
The investigating officer had requested 20 days to hold the suspects in order to complete investigations.
Meanwhile, the prime suspect in the matter, Zachary Nyaora Obadiah, is being held for 10 days as police investigate the matter.
Obadiah is being held at the Gigiri police station following orders by Senior Principal Magistrate Robinson Ondieki.
Obadiah was arrested a week after the incident while crossing the Kenyan-Tanzanian border.
Read Also: Zachariah Nyaora: Prime Suspect In Forest Road Assault Incident Arrested at Kenya-Tanzania Border
Lyvonne Mwanzia, the officer in charge, told the court that the accused will be charged with robbery with violence and sexual assault, both serious offenses that might result in a life sentence.
“Obadiah was among a group of bodaboda riders at the Barabara Tano stage on Wangari Mathai Road,” she said.
“They moved to her car where they sexually assaulted the female motorist and in the process stole her iPhone 6, valued at Sh130,000.”
“I also need tome to obtain the CCTV footage from the scene of the accident and take his phone in for forensic investigations. The investigations team will need to get call data from service providers to trace his movements.”
Obadiah claimed he fled after seeing his images in the media implicating him in the assault.
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