NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 1 – Five police officers who have been languishing in prison for over three years for allegedly killing a suspect at the Changamwe police station have been freed on a cash bail of Sh800,000 each.
Trial judge Festus Bwonwonga said that the accused have been in custody for a long period of time without the hearing taking place and he has been persuaded by the defence Council that their liberty and constitutional right has been violated.
The court gave an alternative bond of Sh1 million plus one surety to each of the accused persons.
During the hearing of the bail application, defence lawyer Danstan Omari told the court that the accused were arrested in 2019 and no evidence has been provided to the accused to date.
He said that the law provides that if a suspect dies in police custody IPOA should constitute an inquest to establish the cause of death, which he said was not done.
The five are, Khalif Abdulahi Sigat, James Muli Koti, Joseph Odhiambo Sirawa, Edward Kongo Onchonga and Nelson Nkanae have since denied the offence on charge of murder.
The matter will be mentioned on November 15 for directions.
