Court
Five suspects who were arrested last week by security officers for allegedly purporting to be officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) will spend seven more days in police custody after Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) secured more time to detain and conclude investigations.
The suspects were arraigned before Magistrate Maureen Kimani at Kitui court where the detectives were granted seven more days to detain them as they carried out investigations on their conduct. The suspects will take a plea on July 29, 2024.
The suspects included a female police officer Anne Mutheu who is attached to Muthangari police station in Nairobi County. Other suspects are David Mbembe, Sheddy Kakai Kalusi, Permenus Kasamba and Joseph Musembi were all arrested in Kitui town last Friday, July 19, 2024.
The suspected imposters were nabbed while carrying out a fake search of a home of county government officer working as director of revenue collection at Kitui county government headquarters, in Kitui town. The suspects impersonating EACC had picked the officer at her office and ordered her to accompany them to her house over alleged involvement in corruption and raided her house where they claimed a huge sum of money was hidden.
According to the prosecution, the suspects may be charged with several crime counts including forgery of identification documents and forcibly raiding a county officer’s house. The suspects had also produced a fake search warrant purportedly issued at Milimani Law Courts.
The court ordered the suspects to remain in police custody for seven days as Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) completes investigations.
From (L-R) Accused persons David Mbembe, Sheddy Kakai Kalusi, Permenus Kasamba, Ann Mutheu, and Joseph Musembi appear before Kitui Magistrate Mourine Kimani for trial on charges of EACC officer impersonation
Photos by Chris Mumo
“The DCI needs more time to verify the accused persons’ documents and job cards at the EACC headquarters in Nairobi. The detectives also need adequate time to present the vehicle used in the raid to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to establish its ownership,” prosecution told the court.
Consequently, the DCI also sought more time to process the phones confiscated from the suspects and track the suspects’ communication to uncover further details of the crime. Processing of the suspects’ phones is a key part of the investigation. By analyzing their communication, the DCI aims to uncover any conspirators and understand the full scope of the criminal operation.
Issuing the order, the magistrate noted that the accused persons’ request to reduce the number of detention days due to their parental duties was taken into consideration. The suspects had pleaded with the court to reject an extension of their detention at the police custody.
Despite this plea, the court maintained the seven-day detention order, balancing the need for thorough investigations with the suspects’ personal circumstances. This delay is to allow the investigating officers sufficient time to complete their investigations. Consequently, they are expected to present proper charges and clear evidence to the court.
Kitui Central Sub-County Police Commander Peter Karanja revealed that a search conducted on the suspects revealed a collection of fake job cards for the anti-corruption commission. Curiously, the fake job cards bore a similar title of Chief Executive Officer and Director of Anti-Corruption Intelligence for all the suspects.
The prosecution is expected to present a comprehensive case, supported by clear and compelling evidence. This will be essential in securing a conviction and delivering justice.