Uhuru's stolen escort car was headed to neighbouring state, lawyer says
Mr Aggrey Odhiambo, a mechanic, being led to Nakuru Central Police Station on September 1, 2014. Mr Ochieng returns to court on Friday when prosecutors will decide whether to charge him with theft of a State House vehicle or any other offence. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The stolen State House vehicle could have been headed to a neighbouring country through Bungoma, a lawyer has claimed.
Speaking at the Rift Valley Provincial Criminal Investigations headquarters on Monday evening, lawyer Cliff Ombeta, who is representing Mr Aggrey Ochieng, a mechanic suspected of being involved in the theft, said the limousine’s signal was last traced in Bungoma on Sunday evening.
He conceded that the vehicle was taken to Mr Ochieng’s garage in Nakuru’s London estate, but added that his client was not aware that it was a stolen vehicle.
“The gunmen who stole the State House vehicle went to my client’s garage seeking a service that was given at a fee and after that they left with 'their’ vehicle,” he said.
Mr Ombeta said the gunmen spent about three hours with Mr Ochieng, who even took them for breakfast at a famous hotel within the town, as they tested the vehicle.
“They took breakfast and told my client that they wanted to have a haircut. He took them to a barber shop and they later went back to his garage before leaving in 'their’ sleek BMW limousine,” he said.
STATE HOUSE DENIED
The vehicle was stolen last Wednesday after an armed gang carjacked a policeman. The driver, Inspector David Machui, was later released, but the gang stole the vehicle.
However, presidential spokesman Manoah Esipisu immediately denied that the vehicle was part of the presidential escort fleet.
Mr Ombeta, who spent close to six hours with Mr Ochieng at the regional CID offices on Monday, said some of the people who had accompanied the gunmen during their interaction with his client were being tracked using their mobile phones.
“My client has been dealing with the gunmen for a long time. They go to his garage for services, but little did he know that they were criminals,” said the advocate.
He said Mr Ochieng would be taken back to court on Friday for the prosecution to decide whether to charge him with theft of the State House vehicle or any other offence.
Mr Ombeta said his client had been kept under police custody for five days following the prosecution’s request that they be allowed more time for further investigations.
