Five suspects in Chuka murder case that sparked boda boda demos to take plea next week
Mr Daniel Mutembei's murder suspects, from left: John Gitari, Jadiel Kinyanjui, Wilfred Kirimi, Jamson Musyoka and Newton Mutwiri before Chula law court on April 14, 2023. They will be charged with murder next week on Wednesday at Chuka High Court.
Five suspected killers of Daniel Mutembei from Rubate village in Tharaka Nithi County will be held at Chuka Prison awaiting plea taking for murder charges next Wednesday.
Mr John Gitari, Mr Jadiel Kinyanjui, Mr Wilfred Kirimi, Mr Jamson Musyoka and Mr Newton Mutwiri appeared before Chuka Law Court Resident Magistrate Helbert Mwendwa, who also ordered a mental assessment for the five men to check if they are fit to stand trial.
The five, together with Mr Lyoid Nyaga, who was not before the court, will face charges of killing Mutembei on Rubate road in Rubate village, Igambang’ombe sub-county on March 18, 2023.
“The five should be escorted for mental assessment at Chuka County Referral Hospital and later to Chuka Prison in Kathwana until April 18, 2023, when they will be presented in Chuka High Court to face murder charges,” said Mr Mwendwa.
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions officer, Ms Felister Njeru, had urged the court to recommend the five to be held at Chuka Prison in Kathwana, which is about 30 kilometres from Chuka town for their own security.
On Thursday, Justice Lucy Gitari of Chuka High Court had ordered the five men to be offered pro-bono legal services but the magistrate court was informed on Friday that they all have private counsel, while lawyer Kirimi Muturi will represent the family of the deceased.
Anticipatory bail
The judge yesterday declined to extend anticipatory bail for Mr Kirimi, Mr Musyoka, Mr Kinyanjui and Mr Gitari, which she had given on March 29 to bar police from arresting and charging them. She instead issued a warrant of arrest for the six to face murder charges.
The murder of Mutembei led to demonstrations in Chuka town, during which Tharaka Nithi County Boda Boda Operators’ Association chairman Willis Mugambi was shot dead last Saturday.
Mugambi’s death escalated protests, led by Chuka/Igambang’ombe MP Patrick Munene his Maara counterpart Kareke Mbiuki, Tharaka Nithi County Assembly Speaker John Mbabu and ward representatives.
The protesters demanded the arrest and prosecution of Mutembei’s killers and the police officer suspected to have shot Mugambi dead.
The demonstrations paralysed transportation on the Meru-Nairobi highway as protesters, among them boda boda operators from across the county blocked the road using stones and burning tires.
