Witness in Masten Wanjala escape case stood down

A witness in a criminal case where three police officers are accused of aiding confessed serial killer Masten Wanjala to escape from custody was stood down after defence lawyers protested over his testimony.

The three Phillip Mbithi, Boniface Kamakia and Precious Mwinzi attached to Jogoo Road police station, Nairobi were arrested after Wanjala escaped from custody when they were on duty.

A team of lawyers led by Danstan Omari representing the officers objected to the testimony of a witness who is said to have served Wanjala and other suspects food at Jogoo Road police station on the material day. 

Hearing and determination

The lawyers told trial magistrate Robinson Ondieki that the witness was not sure which year when the incident occurred.

Omari also told the court that the statement another witness was to use in  the case was not signed by the same witness but somebody else.

This prompted the magistrate to order the witness to be stood down until August 23 when he will rule on whether to allow the same witness to testify.

The officers are out on cash bail of Sh100,000 each pending the hearing and determination of the case. Wanjala was lynched by a mob at Mukhweya village in his home Bungoma county after escaping from police custody.

Authorities had launched a massive manhunt for the fugitive who admitted to killing more than 10 young boys during a five-year period.

He also confessed to drugging them and in some cases drinking their blood.