Suspected drug dealer accuses police of soliciting bribes

A suspected drug dealer John Kario Ngari before a Nyeri court on March 18, 2019. PHOTO | JOSEPH WANGUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • While cross-examining police detective Paul Njagi, who was testifying against him, Mr Ngari said four of his colleagues were also robbed of Sh30,000.

  • Police also confiscated eight pieces of rolling papers, two pairs of scissors and one rolling flag of Sh100 note which is used to make the rolls of bhang.

A suspected drug dealer on Monday told a Nyeri court that two police officers attached to the Anti-Narcotics Unit demanded a bribe from him to have his case compromised.

Mr John Kario Ngari also alleged that the officers robbed him of Sh20,000 during arrest on December 18, 2018 at his house in Ruring’u Majengo estate in Nyeri town.

While cross-examining police detective Paul Njagi, who was testifying against him, Mr Ngari said four of his colleagues were also robbed of Sh30,000.

He claimed that the officers had been calling him regularly to discuss how to frustrate the case that is pending in court.

PERMIT

Appearing before Senior Principal Magistrate Phillip Mutua, the suspect claimed the officers had confiscated his mobile phone and withdrew Sh65,000 through mobile-money transfer services.

He read phone contacts of one of the officers to the court. The suspect further questioned why the anti-narcotics detectives failed to serve him with a permit to conduct search in his house. He argued that lack of such a search warrant infringed on his fundamental rights.

“Why is it that witnesses in this case are policemen? My wife, who was in the house during the arrest, has not been listed as a witness, neither was she asked to record a statement,” the suspect told the court.

The investigator having told the court that the detectives were acting on a tip off, the suspect questioned how they were able to identify him given that they did not have his photo. 

SENT SH1,950

The officer, however, said the detectives had been given details of the suspect’s residence where they found more than 2,200 grams of bhang in a green basin hidden under the bed.

Mr Njagi denied calling or meeting the suspect so as to compromise the case.

“The suspect had sent me Sh1,950 on February 3, 2019 at 4.43pm. He attempted to bribe me but I sent back the money to him,” the officer told State Counsel Pauline Mwaniki.

He also denied the suspect’s claims that police had earlier confiscated his mobile phone.

ROLLS

The witness said Mr Ngari had been making frequent visits to the anti-narcotics unit office to have his case compromised.

The court heard that when the police stormed the suspect’s house, he admitted to peddling bhang.

Police also confiscated eight pieces of rolling papers, two pairs of scissors and one rolling flag of Sh100 note which is used to make the rolls of bhang.

A government chemist Grace Nyakio Njenga’s report confirmed that the substance confiscated by police in Mr Ngari’s house were cannabis.

The case will be heard on May 23, 2019.