Three police officers and a woman accomplice were yesterday arraigned in a Kericho court and charged with alleged extortion and abduction. The Nakuru-based officers Charles Shikami, Francis Gitau and Steve Mwongera and a civilian Riziki Paulo who is said to be Tanzanian national are accused of having abducted Abdul Kampanya and allegedly extorting Sh300,000 from him.
The accused are said to have jointly confined Kampanya on August 8, threatened him and extorted cash from him between Kericho and Kisumu highway and Kisumu-Kericho highway.
The four who appeared before Kericho senior resident magistrate Lilian Kiniale denied the charges and the officerswere released on a cash bail of Sh100, 000 each while Riziki was denied the bail or bond pending further investigations about her nationality.
Efforts by the accused’s lawyers Erastus Orina and David Mongere to fight for Riziki to be granted either cash bail or bond failed after the prosecution opposed the plea. Kiniale ordered her remanded in custody as police continued with investigations.
Mongere also claimed the suspects were mishandled and subjected to mistreatment by officers who arrested them, adding that Gitau suffered a fractured rib, but the magistrate dismissed his claim, saying there was neither specific application on the matter nor evidence to show that the accused has been taken to hospital for treatment.
The lawyers also urged the court to order the release of a vehicle, mobile phones and wallets impounded when the accused persons were arrested.
But the magistrate ordered the Kericho Directorate of Criminal Investigation officers to provide the court with information on the vehicle and the other items before the case proceeds to the full hearing. The case will be mentioned on August 24.
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