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A court has granted police the go-ahead to detain two men who were allegedly in possession of the mobile phone of a woman who was murdered and dumped at a disused quarry dump in Embakasi Kware, Nairobi.
Amos Momanyi and Moses Ogembo were arrested on July 16 at Pipeline Estate in Embakasi and will be detained at Muthega Police Station for 28 days.
Makadara Court Chief Magistrate Irene Gichobi authorised the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to transfer the suspects to another police station as required to ensure their safety after informing their lawyers.
Magistrate Gijobi acknowledged public impatience with the court’s delays and referred to a recent incident in Muranga when residents stormed a police post, leading to the release and lynching of a murder suspect.
“The case being investigated has generated a great deal of public outcry and emotion. While the accused (Momanyi and Ongembo) are presumed innocent, their safety and the rights of the victims’ families must be considered to ensure justice,” Gichobi said.
Detective Inspector Patrick Wachira of the DCI Homicide Unit told the court that the main suspect, Collins Jumaisi, admitted to conspiring with two men to commit the murder.
Wachira disclosed that Amos Momanyi was found in possession of a mobile phone registered to one of the deceased, Roselyne Akoth, and her two SIM cards.
Momani failed to provide a satisfactory explanation as to how he came to possess the phone but claimed that he purchased it from Ongenbo.
“During the arrest of Momanyi and Ongembo, the police managed to seize a number of exhibits including over 154 models of mobile phones, 27 SIM cards, a national identity card, etc. These exhibits are of vital evidentiary value to the ongoing investigation and require more time to submit for forensic investigation,” “Wakila said.
The shop and house in Ogunbo are now crime scenes awaiting forensic investigation, with detectives hoping to uncover more solid evidence.
Officer Wachira urged the court to grant the DCI 30 days in custody, but their lawyer, Alex Ong’era, opposed the request. He argued that seven days was enough time to conduct the investigation, arguing that the DCI already had a prime suspect who was not one of his clients.
Earlier, Wachira informed the court that Momanyi and Ongenbo lived in a rented house in Pipeline Estate, which meant they had no fixed residence, stressing that their residence was the crime scene.
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However, Ongola countered that this did not justify prolonged detention, noting that Ogenbo, who hails from Nyamalambe in Mugilango, Kisnan, and whose family members were also in court.
Nevertheless, Magistrate Gijobi stressed that the list of items seized from the suspects was long and required a thorough investigation process, hence investigators would need ample time.
“The investigation team needs sufficient time to ensure that the investigation is thorough and comprehensive. It is vital that the public discovers the truth, and this can only be achieved if sufficient time is invested in the investigation process.” Gichobi said.
“Ultimately, I will grant the application and the final order is that (Momanyi and Ogembo) be detained at Muthaiga police station for 28 days to allow the investigators and the prosecution to complete their investigations. The lawyers representing the accused will liaise with the investigating officer (Wachira) to determine when, where, how and with whom the accused came into contact.”
Momani, Ogunbo and Jumaisi are scheduled to appear in court on August 16 to be apprised of the progress of the investigation.
The DCI is investigating the murder of at least 42 women, who were killed, dismembered and dumped in sacks at an abandoned quarry.
Wachira reported that investigators have recovered at least 13 sets of human remains from the garbage dump, which are currently being stored at a Nairobi funeral home awaiting further investigation.
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