Suspects in city driver assault to be detained for 15 more days

Sixteen suspects accused of robbery with violence and sexually molesting a female diplomat, will be detained for 15 days to enable detectives to complete investigations into the matter.

Milimani Principal Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe yesterday said the application by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is merited and ordered the 16 suspects to be held at Gigiri Police Station.

In his ruling, the magistrate noted that the nature of the matter required that police be accorded necessary support to conclude investigations.

“Police should be accorded the necessary support to conclude investigations into this matter to charge those they feel are the culprits herein. It may well be that a good number of the 16 suspects were not culpable and may be exonerated by the police investigators or through the court trial. l am satisfied that the application is merited,” ruled the magistrate.

Treatment and counselling

The DCI, through Inspector Yvonne Mwanzia had sought 20 days to detain the suspects. The magistrate however granted the detectives 15 days on grounds that the suspects have been in custody since Tuesday.

“Since the suspects have been in custody since March 8, I shall grant 15 days,” ruled the magistrate.

Mwanzia told the court that the victim, who is a Zimbabwean diplomat, reported the incident at the Parklands Police Station.

The court heard that at around 1730hrs, the victim, while driving her vehicle along Prof Wangari Mathai Road, on reaching Barabara Tano, was involved in a traffic road accident with a bodaboda rider.

“Suddenly, a group of bodaboda riders moved to where her vehicle had stopped and attacked her, accusing her of hitting one of their colleagues,” Mwanzia said.

She said that the complainant is yet to sign a P3 form as she is undergoing treatment and counseling following the traumatising incident.