Chief, her assistant and 10 others to be charged with murder

A Nanyuki Court is set to open murder charges against a chief from Nyeri, her assistant, three ‘Nyumba Kumi Initiative’ members and five other villagers.

Gakawa Location chief Lucy Wanja, Equator Sub-location assistant chief Gertrude Koki and three Nyumba Kumi Initiative members Loyford Mwirigi, George Wachira and Mary Nyambura were on Tuesday arrested by police awaiting full probe into a murder incident before the charges are officially opened against them.

The said are accused to have on 31^st November, 2017 clobbered to death local liquor brewer Wachira Kabui, 46, while inflicting grievous harm to Duncan Gitonga, 50, who was in company of the deceased on the material day.

When appearing before the court, the five were first accused of causing grievous harm to Gitonga with Nanyuki Chief Magistrate Lucy Mutai releasing them on a Ksh100,000 bond with a surety of similar amount or a Ksh60,000 cash bail.

State determined to open murder charges

Kieni East DCIO Richard Kioko told the court the police only have five out of the 12 suspects, and that they needed more time to apprehend the remaining seven so that the state can officially open murder charges against them.

The DCIO also noted that the five needed to be taken to a psychologist for mental examination, with the case set to be heard on March 20, 2018.

“We intend to file a miscellaneous application to have the accused persons who are murder suspects detained at Naromoru Police Station for 14 days to allow detectives complete investigations,” Kioko told the court.

Eye witnesses allege that the suspects were violently demanding that the slain brewer produces Chang’aa that he apparently had been hiding in unknown place within his compound; this was during a crackdown exercise on illicit brews in the area.