15 Officers Charged with Abduction of Two Indians, Kenyan Taxi Driver Remanded Until November 3

Fifteen police, intelligence and Kenya Wildlife Service officers accused of being behind the disappearance of two Indians and their Kenyan taxi driver were Tuesday remanded until November 3 for bail ruling.

Kahawa Law Court senior principal magistrate Boaz Ombewa said the prosecution’s application to deny the accused persons bail was merited.

Ombewa ordered a probation report to be submitted in court within 14 days.

The 15 were remanded at Kiambu remand prison pending the pre bail report.

The prosecution while opposing release of the accused persons, said their were well founded fears of witness interference owing to the sphere of influence of the accused persons more so in light of the work they were carrying out.

The court heard the accused persons were facing extremely serious charges with evidence pointing to the commission of murder as against the three abductees and the resultant penalty for such offences if convicted, carry hefty penalties that may act as an incentive to the accused persons to abscond the jurisdiction of court if released on bail.

“It is notable that some three accomplices of the accused persons still remain at large and have evaded detection from law enforcement officers owing to the gravity of the charges at hand and the weight of the evidence already collected,” the prosecution counsel Michael Sang said.

He added the nature of the jobs and positions held by all the accused persons who have extensive training on the use of firearms, surveillance, intelligence collection and counter intelligence, and the fact that they still hold positions of influence, was a ground enough to cause a well-founded fear for both the intended witnesses and the Investigators.

Sang asked court to note that the suspects still have accomplices who are at large and that they can by themselves or through their accomplices impede the cause of justice.

The accused persons still enjoy Police, NIS and KWS privileges and still have in their possession government stores including uniforms and Certificate of Appointment (Cof A) which can be used by them or their agents to assume the status of actively serving security officers (in the disciplined forces) with full privileges and powers.

The court was urged to withdraw from the officers all the government stores pending hearing and determination of the case.