Officer in journalist's murder case arraigned in Siaya

Chief Inspector of Police Ms Sabina Kerubo when she appeared in a Siaya court on December 2, 2019 over the murder of journalist Eric Oloo. She did not take plea. PHOTO | DICKENS WASONGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The body of the 'Star' correspondent was discovered on November 21 in Chief inspector of police Ms Sabina Kerubo's house.
  • She will be held at Siaya police station for 14 days while investigations into the journalist's murder continue.
  • Two other suspects in the murder will be arraigned on December 10 to face charges.
  • A postmortem report revealed that the slain journalist died after being hit by a blunt object on the head and abdomen.

Detectives probing the gruesome murder of TheStar journalist Eric Oloo have arraigned Chief Inspector of Police Sabina Kerubo in Siaya but she was not required to take plea.

The police officer, in whose house the body of The Star correspondent was discovered on November 21, appeared before Siaya Principal Magistrate James On'gondo who directed that she remains in custody at Siaya Police Station for 14 days.

In a sworn affidavit tabled before the magistrate, the detectives handling the case pleaded for additional time to hold the officer so as to conclude investigations into the murder. 

Chief inspector Tobias Akumu, who is leading the probe, further disclosed that they intend to hand over the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) on Tuesday with their recommendations.

AWAITING CHARGES

"We plan to have the file presented to the State counsel on Tuesday and await further directions from them. If the State counsel, upon receiving the file and after going through our recommendations directs that we charge her alongside the other two suspects already in police custody, then we will do so" he said.

The court last week directed that two brothers, Victor Ogola Luta and Franklin Joel Luta, who were arrested on November 21 and 22 respectively, be held for 11 days pending investigations.

They will be arraigned on December 10 to face murder charges.

Mr Oloo was laid to rest in his Uhor village home in Ugunja town on Saturday. 

Leaders, among them the MPs Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) and his David Ochieng (Ugenya) called for a speedy conclusion of the investigation so that those behind the gruesome murder of the journalist are brought to book.

A post-mortem report revealed that the slain journalist died after being hit with a blunt object on the head and abdomen.