Police officer denies soliciting bribe from vandalism suspect

Sergeant Magasan Gwiyo when he appeared in court on Monday. He denied charges of soliciting for bribes from a man suspected to have vandalised power transformers in Nyeri. The officer is attached to the security section of Kenya Power Company in Mt Kenya region. PHOTO/ERIC MUTAI.

What you need to know:

  • Sergeant Gwiyo denied soliciting Sh100,000 from Mr James Maina as an inducement to clear him in an investigation on alleged vandalism and theft of transformers in Nyeri.
  • The officer denied a second charge of corruptly receiving Sh50,000 from Mr Maina at Kungu Maitu butchery.
  • Mr Gwiyo said that he comes from the interior of Bura District where he said only a few people own land title deeds.

A police officer on Monday denied charges of soliciting for a bribe from a man suspected of vandalising transformers.

Sergeant Magasan Gwiyo was then released on a Sh100,000 bond by a Nyeri court.

Sergeant Gwiyo denied soliciting Sh100,000 from Mr James Maina as an inducement to clear him in an investigation on alleged vandalism and theft of transformers in Nyeri on February 18, 2014.

The officer who has served for more than 25 years also denied a second charge of corruptly receiving Sh50,000 from Mr Maina at Kungu Maitu butchery in Nyeri town on February 26, 2014.

The officer who is attached to the security section of Kenya Power Company in Mt Kenya region asked the court to release him on a cash bail claiming that he would not get a surety if released on bond.

Through lawyer Wahome Gikonyo, Mr Gwiyo said that he comes from the interior of Bura District where he said only a few people own land title deeds.

“He has been out on a Sh50,000 police bond and came to court today. He is still in service until this matter is decided and is unlikely to skip bond,” said Mr Gikonyo.

Nyeri Chief Magistrate Wilbroda Juma however noted that Bura is in Kenya and that the court can take other forms of surety not necessarily title deeds.

The magistrate set April 22, 2014 as the hearing date.