Kasarani murder probe: Police allowed to hold licensed gun holder for 20 days
A court has allowed police to hold for 20 days a licensed gun holder suspected of shooting dead another man.
Police have been allowed to hold for 20 days a licensed gun holder suspected of shooting dead another man at Garden Estate in Nairobi on Wednesday night.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) presented Peter Kiplagat Chuma before a Makadara court seeking to detain him for one month, as they conduct investigations into the alleged shooting.
Mr Kiplagat is suspected of shooting dead 25-year-old Austin Maina Macharia on June 18 at around 9.30pm. The two had allegedly been seen drinking together before driving towards Garden Estate. In an affidavit filed in court, Mr Hillary Tanui said they were investigating Kiplagat for murder.
“The deceased, Austin Maina Macharia, aged 25 years, in this matter was in the company of the respondent (Kiplagat) after a drinking spree at a liquor shop within Kasarani sub-county before he was shot dead,” the officer said in the statement.
Mr Tanui said the suspect was armed with a pistol, which was loaded with 15 bullets.
The investigator added that the two were seen leaving the liquor store in a car that was being driven by Kiplagat. He said the incident was captured on CCTV cameras at a nearby petrol station.
Mr Tanui said the two knew each other well and that they had an argument before the shooting. The DCI officer said Mr Kiplagat was restrained by security guards manning the petrol station before police officers arrived and arrested him.
“That the murder weapon, a jaw pistol loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition, a spent cartridge and a bullet head were recovered from the said motor vehicle,” he said, adding that Maina was shot in the head.
The police, who had asked for 30 days, said they needed time to trace and record statements from witnesses, conduct a post-mortem on the body, trace and retrieve firearms movement from Kiplagat’s employer, and retrieve CCTV footage of the crime scene.
“The respondent’s (Kiplagat’s) fixed abode has not been established hence making him a flight risk if released on bail or bond terms, considering the factors surrounding the matter,” Mr Tanui said.