Kandara-based policeman sentenced to death over violent robbery

A police officer attached to Kirwara Police Station has been sentenced to death by a Kandara court after he was found guilty of violently robbing a trader of a vehicle and goods worth more than Sh1 million shillings.

Paul Kennedy Ochieng was charged that on February 13, 2017, jointly with others not before the court, with robbing Mr Kelvin Muriiria Nkiria of a vehicle valued at Sh600, 000 and goods (wines and spirits) worth Sh450, 000.

The court heard that the policeman had tricked the victim that the suspects needed to be supplied with wines and spirits but when the trader delivered the goods, they robbed him of his vehicle and the goods at gunpoint and threatened to kill him if he did not cooperate.

The policeman’s superior officers complicated the matter for him after they disclosed to the court that the suspect had been associated himself directly or indirectly in crimes within the police jurisdiction where he served.

The court documents seen by the Nation showed that Ochieng’ had been interdicted before over similar offences was in fact facing similar charges at the Maseno Law Courts.

But the 43-year-old officer told the court that he worked a diligent policeman and there was no way he could have committed the offense he was convicted of.

 While delivering the judgment, Kandara Senior Resident Magistrate Manuela Kinyanjui sentenced the suspect to death and ordered the National Police Service to release his belongings to his wife.

 “The law provides a mandatory sentence for the offense committed by the suspect and for this reason I do sentence the accused to death given that the evidence [brought] against him has convinced the court that he committed the offense,” Mr Kinyanjui ruled.

The police officer, who comes from Mawengo village in Rachuonyo, Homa Bay County, has 14 days to lodge an appeal.