Five Policemen Arraigned Before A Thika Court On Extortion Charges

Five police officers and a civilian were on Monday arraigned before a Thika law court for unlawfully detaining a Chinese national and attempting to extort by threats contrary to section 300 (1) (a) of the penal code.

The five, Peter Ng’ang’a, Job Mitau Muasya, Richard Hungi Kahungu, Laban Waweru and Duncan Mukenye appeared before Thika Chief Magistrate Theresa Murigi and were charged alongside Jared Mwanziki Kirima, the taxi driver of the vehicle they were travelling in.

State Counsel Stella Oyugi told the court that on June 10^th this year in Makongeni area of Thika West Sub-County, the accused along with others not before the court, with intent to extort money, demanded sh. 1million from John Mwangi Kinyanjui of Xin Tong Engineering Limited, for the release of one Wei Xian Shun who they had arrested and was in their custody.

Through their lawyers Mwangi Wanyoike and Norman Otieno, the accused sought to be released on a cash bail pending the hearing of their case since they were state officers and there was no way they would abscond court proceedings. However their plea was objected by the prosecutor saying that they were likely to interfere with investigations.

“The first five accused are police officers attached to different stations and they are still on active duty. There are no records to show that they have been charged again before and again they have families to attend to. I therefore wish to make an application to have them released on cash bail,” Otieno said.

He argued that the Prosecution has not tabled substantial proof that would have led to denial of this plea.

Nevertheless, Hon. Murigi denied the officers a cash bail and ordered the six to be remanded in custody until June 15 this year when the case will be tabled for hearing.

The officers were arrested on Saturday by Makongeni police officers who had trailed them to Muthaiga Police Station where they were holding the plaintiff.

(See Also: Five Police Officers Held In Thika Police Cells For Attempted Kidnap.)

They had allegedly arrested Mr. Shun on grounds that he was illegally in the country as he allegedly lacked requisite documents for his stay or working in the country.

Two of the police officers are from the Kiambu headquarters quick response team, two are regular police officers attached to Railways police headquarters while the last one was an AP attached to Kaloleni police station. The civilian was the driver of the Toyota probox that was used in the mission.

Thika DCIO Mr. Raphael Wawire told the Press on Saturday that they are investigating the case to nab three other suspects alleged to be from the immigration department, who fled when the five police officers were arrested.