KENYA: Three charged with murder of four policemen

By PHILIP MUYANGA.

Three people suspected of being members of a secessionist group were on Tuesday charged with the murder of four policemen.

Mr Jabir Ali Dzuya, Mr Bwanamkuu Alwan and Mr Antony Mwatela are said to have, jointly with others not in court, killed Changamwe police boss Otieno Owouri, corporal Salim Chebii and constables Stephen Maithya and Andrew Songwa.

They denied the charges before Mr Justice Martin Muya at the High Court in Mombasa.

The offence, according to the prosecution, was committed on March 3, this year, at Jomvu, Miritini in Kilindini.

The accused are said to be members of the Mombasa Republican Council. They appeared in court two weeks ago but could not plead to the charges as police were conducting investigations. Besides, a psychiatric report was yet to be made available to the court.

They had been remanded in custody at Changamwe Police Station prior to their arraignment on Tuesday.

Prosecutor George Muriithi had told the court that the suspects had been seen by a psychiatrist and were fit to plead to the charges.

Defence lawyer Joseph Tarus appealed to the court to have the case heard as soon as possible, saying the accused were young and the sole breadwinners for their families.

“We also want the State to supply us with documents. We don’t want a situation where we find none when we come for the hearing,” said Mr Tarus.

Mr Muriithi said he was ready to supply the defence with all the documents and statements they would rely upon on Monday next week.

Source: Daily Nation (19/03/2013): http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Three-charged-with-murder/-/1056/1725238/-/1l4q7i/-/index.html