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Rape case MP dines with police officers and roams as free man


A Member of Parliament being investigated for rape has been out to dinner with investigating officers and has not spent a single night in custody.

Imenti Central MP Gideon Mwiti Irea, who has been accused of kicking, punching and raping a woman in his private office, had dinner with a top officer who is part of the team investigating the case. After the meal, the MP went home.

During the day, the MP had been driven around the city in convoy of police vehicles, supposedly under tight security.

Records show that on Monday, when he is alleged to have spent the night at Parklands Police Station, there were only two suspects locked up at the station.

An equal number was held at Gigiri Police Station, which is investigating the case. None of those suspects was the MP.

On Tuesday, he was dramatically taken to the Government Chemist under tight security escort and was driven away at the back of a police vehicle, sandwiched between two officers.

As soon as he left Kenyatta National Hospital, he was set free and escorted by the officers to Boulevard Hotel in the city centre.

On Wednesday, an investigator from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions joined the team investigating the rape case.

The MP is on Thursday expected to appear for the fourth time before the joint team comprising Gigiri CID chief Daniel Kandie, a Chief Inspector from the County CID office, and a Corporal of police from Parklands CID office.

EXHIBIT COLLECTED

A senior officer who sought anonymitysaid that the team is expected to expedite investigations before a decision is made to charge the MP. His fingerprints will also be taken on Thursday.

“Physical evidence cannot be wholly absent. We have collected enough and care has been taken to ensure that the evidential value does not diminish,” he said.

It is not clear when the results will be released by the Government Chemist, but the suspect is expected to be taken to court soon.

The samples which were taken from the MP on Tuesday morning are to be compared with the blood and swabs from the victim’s mouth and private parts.

The victim’s samples were taken immediately the victim reached the hospital. In cases of rape, this has to be done to protect the evidence from being broken down by the body’s natural functioning.

Detectives said some of the exhibits they have collected include the victim’s skirt, blouse and underwear, possibly containing evidence in the form of stains.

“We want to establish if some of the samples collected compare to the suspect’s blood, hair or seminal fluid. Further tests have also been conducted to establish whether there is other evidence transferred to the victim from the suspect,” said a detective privy to the investigations.

Mr Mwiti is also to record a final statement since his account of the incident has been full of contradictions and inconsistencies.

His subsequent statements to the police and the media have confirmed most of what is contained in the report made by the complainant with the police.

OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENT

The victim is also to be interrogated further regarding their movement with the suspect on the fateful day.

Her initial report indicated that she only went to the suspect’s office, but Mr Mwiti in his statement to the police said that they were together at Pizza Garden and his club both in Westlands.

In a subsequent statement, the victim said they indeed had a meal at Pizza Garden before proceeding to the MP’s private office in his car.

Sources say that the legislator plans to settle the matter out of court and has approached a friend of the complainant’s family to organise for a reconciliation meeting.

The MP has also been meeting senior police officers, lawyers and his constituents. Rape is a serious crime in Kenyan law and not a civil dispute.

Police have so far recorded statements from the victim and her witnesses as the investigations continue.

Police also say that the communication between the woman and her husband would be used as evidence in the case.

The woman sensationally claimed that the MP, during a business meeting in his office on Saturday, kicked, punched and raped her.

He also forced her to undergo a HIV test, performed by a doctor who was on hand for the purpose.