Police given until Monday to charge suspect linked to teacher's murder

Police have been given until Monday to charge or free a Form Two student suspected to have participated in the murder of a teacher in Nakuru last week.

Nakuru Senior Resident Magistrate Yvonne Khatambi on Friday gave the police until Monday to conclude investigations and prefer charges against the Tumaini Secondary School student.

The student is suspected to have killed Mr Peter Omare Mogusu, a teacher at Hopewell Secondary School on January 24.

The suspect was arraigned in court on January 28, when the magistrate gave the police three days to complete their investigations.

However, the suspect failed to take plea on Friday after the Police sought for more time to complete the investigations.

Chief Inspector Javan Onzere, the investigating officer attached to Kaptembwo Police Station, told the court that he was not ready to proceed with charging the suspect since the police were yet conduct a post mortem examination.  

FIVE DAYS

In his application, Mr Onzere said they needed at least five days to have the autopsy conducted on the deceased body.

The request was however opposed by the suspect’s lawyer Mr Peter Bore.  

Mr Bore lamented that the continued detention of the teenager without preferring formal or holding charges against him amounted to infringement of his right to fair trial.

The court directed that the suspect be held at the Nakuru Central Police Station until Monday.

“I will thus extend the period of detention of the suspect by two days and no further extension will be made. The accused is to be charged on February 4 or be released from the custody,” ruled Ms Khatambi.

BLUNT OBJECT

According to the police report the suspect is alleged to have attacked Mr Omare 35, at about 10 pm on the fateful night. He I said to have hit him on the head with a blunt object near his house, which is about 100 metres from the school.

Mr Omare suffered multiple serious injuries on his head as a result of the attack.

Mr Omare, who holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Physics and Computer studies from Maseno University, succumbed while undergoing treatment at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital.  

Hopewell Secondary School Director Vitalis Kahenda said before the teacher met his death, had confiscated a mobile phone from a Form Four student at about 6pm.  

The said student recorded statement with the police and was released two days after the killing.