This archive report was first published on 19 September 2019.
September 19, 2019
Key Suspect in Tob Cohen's Murder Denied Bail ¶
A Kiambu court has denied bail to Peter Njoroge Karanja, the key suspect in the murder of Dutch tycoon Tob Cohen.
On Wednesday, Kiambu Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Atambo rejected Karanja's application to be released on bond or bail, ordering him to be detained at Kiambu Police Station for 14 days.
The detectives investigating the matter had given compelling reasons for holding Karanja longer, the magistrate said.
"The application for detention is allowed to the effect that the respondent be detained at the Kiambu Police Station for a period of 14 days for investigations to be completed. Respondent to be offered proper medication while in custody," Atambo added.
The detectives had told the court that the matter was complex and that they needed to subject the gadgets recovered from Karanja to forensic investigations.
They also needed to visit other counties to question people known to the suspect.
The defence lawyer Festus Mbati had objected to the decision by the Director of Criminal Investigations to transfer Karanja from Kiambu Police Station to Muthaiga Police Station, expressing concern about his safety.
"The respondent is not comfortable being detained at Muthaiga Police Station for reasons we cannot reveal now and we request that he be detained at the Kiambu Police Station where he has been since he was arrested," Mbati appealed to the court.
The case will be mentioned on October 3 when the 14 days elapse.
