Sh72m heist: Court orders tests after suspects allege torture
What you need to know:
- Investigating officers had asked the court to have the suspects detained for a week but lawyer Cliff Ombeta claimed some were tortured during interrogation.
- The lawyer alleged that the torture was by the police officers who arrested and interrogated the suspects.
- The defence team further noted that police officers should have gathered enough evidence before arresting the suspects.
A court on Monday ordered medical checks for suspects in the Sh72 million Standard Chartered Bank heist following claims they were unwell due to torture by police.
Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku said the claim was made by one of the lawyers representing the suspects, who include three Administration Police officers.
The lawyer alleged that the torture was by the police officers who arrested and interrogated the suspects.
The suspects are APs Chris Machogi, Duncan Luvuga and Boniface Mutua alongside civilians Vincent Owuor, Alex Mutuku and Francis Muriuki.
LAWYER'S CLAIMS
Investigating officers had asked the court to have the six detained for a week but lawyer Cliff Ombeta claimed some were tortured during interrogation.
Mr Ombeta told the court that Mr Owuor was forced to say he is a police officer yet he is not.
He also alleged that one of suspect's fingers was pierced and then dipped in pepper before he was compelled to state that he was a police officer.
The lawyer further claimed that Mr Luvuga was immersed in water and thoroughly beaten up, sustaining head injuries.
EVIDENCE
The defence team further noted that police officers should have gathered enough evidence before arresting the suspects.
But the investigating officer said police had to detain the suspects at Lang'ata Police Station so as to search their houses.
Six G4S officers who were in the company of the said police officers were arraigned last Friday and detained for seven days by the same magistrate.
For this reason, the court was asked to detain the new suspects for a similar period.
“The court appreciates the complex nature of this case. The court should take judicial notice that all suspects should be treated fairly," the defence team said.
WHAT HAPPENED
After the incident on September 5, police sources told the Nation that part of the cash was stolen as G4S employees transported it in a van while the rest was withdrawn from an ATM in Nairobi West.
The G4S personnel had collected the money from their headquarters on Witu Road and taken it to the Nairobi West branch.
Police told the court that they needed more time to scrutinise call data records as well as CCTV footage at the ATM in question.
