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Seven face murder charge over MP’s death


Seven people are to be charged with the murder of Kabete MP George Muchai and three others.

The seven are Mr Erick Muyera Isabwa alias chairman, Mr Raphael Kimani alias Butcher, Mustafa Kimani alias Musto, Stephen Asitiva Lipapo alias Chokori, Jane Wanjiru Kimani alias Shiro, Margaret Njeri alias Waciuri and Simon Wambugu Gichamba.

They will be charged with murdering the MP, his two bodyguards Samuel Kimathi Kairikia, Samuel Lekakey Matanta and his driver Stephen Ituu Wambugu on the night of February 7 on Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi, the director of public prosecutions Keriako Tobiko said on Thursday.

FOUR COUNTS

“Mr Tobiko has directed that the suspects be charged with four counts of murder,” a communication from his office stated.

Mr Gichamba was the first to be arrested and appeared before Principal Magistrate Benson Nzakyo at the Milimani Law Courts on February 13.

The other six were seized later and detained for 22 days in police custody for questioning.

The seven appeared before Principal Magistrate Joseph Karanja on March 10, who directed that appear in court on Friday to answer to the charges preferred against them.

Mr Karanja rejected an application by an Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Alloys Kemo to remand the suspects for another 21 days for investigations to be concluded.

The magistrate allowed police to detain the seven for three days.

However, he granted the prosecution a request to have blood samples taken from Mr Isabwa, Mr Kimani, Mr Mustafa and Mr Lipapo.

HARDCORE CRIMINALS

Mr Kemo opposed an application by the suspects to be released on bond, saying some of them had been free by a Kibera court.

“Some of these suspects were released by a Kibera court and hardly three months later, they have committed an offence,” Mr Kemo told the magistrate.

He pleaded for police to be given ample time to finalise the complex investigations.

Police alleged that a firearm that had been taken from one of Mr Muchai’s bodyguards was found in the suspects’ possession.

In an affidavit presented to court, police said they believe the suspects are hardcore criminals who were on a robbery spree around the city who killed Mr Muchai and his three aides in cold blood.