Police officer accused of raping minor to remain behind bars

A Gatundu magistrate court on Wednesday allowed police to hold for five days, a police officer suspected to have raped a 15-year old girl.

The ruling follows a request by the investigation officer in the case Corporal Ekiru Ekirimon for more time to complete investigations.

In her ruling, resident magistrate CM Makari said that the prayer by prosecution and the investigation officer was genuine and justifiable to warrant extension of time adding that the accused’s line of work makes it easy for him to interfere with the investigations.

Defense counsel had however opposed the prayer arguing that there is no holding charge and the suspect, Paul Rotich, was a law abiding citizen and his continued detention was unconstitutional and holding him without any charge being preferred against him was a breach of his constitutional right.

But prosecutor counsel Kerogo Matwa told the court that it was common practice for police officers to request courts to give them more time to conclude investigations adding that there was conflicting authorities on the issue.