Police arraign different suspect in case on death of former Kitui mayor

Philip Tito (left) in a Kitui court on December 19, 2016 in connection with the death of former Kitui Mayor Martha Mwangangi in the town on December 16, 2016. PHOTO | THOMAS WAITA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Philip Tito, a truck driver with the Kitui County Government, was brought before resident magistrate Rose Ombata facing two counts of murder of Mrs Mwangangi and attempted murder of former Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu in Kitui Town on December 16.
  • Police had earlier told journalists that a Mr John Nzuki caused the accident but later produced Mr Tito in court. Both are county government drivers.

The case on the killing of former Kitui mayor Martha Mwangangi took a new twist on Monday after police arraigned a different suspect.

Mr Philip Tito, a truck driver with the Kitui County Government, was brought before resident magistrate Rose Ombata facing two counts of murder of Mrs Mwangangi and attempted murder of former Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu in Kitui Town on December 16.

Police had earlier told journalists that a Mr John Nzuki caused the accident but later produced Mr Tito in court. Both are county government drivers.

County commissioner Boaz Cherutich and county police commander Cheruto Githinji said there was a mix-up in the names and that the person who actually drove the fire engine was the one taken to court.

“Please don’t read any mischief in it because it was just a mix-up, investigations established that the real suspect is Philip Isika Tito,” Mr Cherutich told journalists in his office.

The investigating officer, Inspector Omari Julius, requested the court to allow them to detain the suspect for 14 days as they conclude the probe.

State counsel backed the detectives’ request, saying it was also in the interest of the suspect’s safety that he remains in custody.

The court, however, ordered the suspect to remain in police custody for seven more days. The case will be mentioned on December 28.