Cop accused of killing Yassin Moyo fails to take plea after showing COVID-19 like symptoms

The High Court has deferred the plea taking of police officer accused of killing a 13-years-old boy, Yassin Moyo in Huruma early March this year.

The court was on Friday told that the police officer Duncan Ndiema had exhibited Covid-19 like related symptoms adding that he at Mbagathi hospital waiting for necessary tests and results.

“The suspect is at Mbagathi hospital and this being a sensitive disease I propose we take a raincheck,” said Lawyer Danstan Omar

The prosecution asked the court to issue a warrant of arrest or issue summons for the accused to appear in court to take plea adding that if he tests positive for the new coronavirus, the state will facilitate.

Magistrate Daniel Ogembo directed that the IPOA investigates the condition of the accused adding that depending on the outcome of the medial report the police officer take plea physically or virtually.

The defense was also directed to table all the tests records of the accused before the court.

The Director of Public Prosecutions recently approved the arrest and prosecution of the police officer who reportedly shot the 13-year-old in March.

On the fateful day, Moyo had been curiously watching police patrol the streets with his mother and siblings.

A coronavirus-related curfew had just started when a stray bullet struck him in the stomach.

His father, Hussein Moyo Molte, was at a nearby friend’s place watching the news and recounted hearing gunshots moments before his daughter called to tell him:

“Yassin’s been shot, we were on the balcony, the police had a torch on us and then they fired shots.”

Neighbors drove young Yassin Moyo to a Nairobi hospital but he later succumbed to his injuries.

“My child was shot on the balcony at home, he wasn’t even on the street,” his father said. “I support the curfew but how the policeman handled it was very wrong.”

Kenya’s dusk-to-dawn curfew went into effect nationwide on March 27 in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus.