No bail for suspect in Dutch tycoon Cohen murder case
Mr Peter Njoroge Karanja at Kiambu Law Court on September 18, 2019. PHOTO | SIMON CIURI
The key suspect in the murder of a Dutch tycoon Tob Cohen on Wedbesday suffered a blow after a Kiambu court failed to grant him either a bond or cash bail.
Making the ruling yesterday, Kiambu senior principal magistrate Stella Atambo said investigators had given compelling reasons for Mr Peter Njoroge Karanja’s continued detention.
He will he held at Kiambu Police Station for 14 days.
The mention for the case was set for October, 3.
“It is clear that compelling reasons have been demonstrated by the prosecution to warrant the orders of determination sought,” said the magistrate in her ruling
The magistrate said that it was in the best interest of justice that proper investigations are done and right persons in relation to the murder of Mr Tob Cohen be charged in court.
“It is sad that a person lost his life,” said the magistrate.
On Wednesday, defence lawyer Festus Mbati objected the decision by the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to transfer the suspect from Kiambu Police Station to Muthaiga Police Station citing safety concerns.
“The respondent is not comfortable being detained at Muthaiga Police Station for the reasons we cannot reveal now in court and we request he be detained at Kiambu Police Station where he has been since he was arrested,” Mr Mbati pleaded with the court. His requested was granted.
On Monday, when making the application to have the suspect to be detained for 14 days, the detective investigating the murder told the court that the matter was complex and required more time to subject the gadgets recovered from Mr Karanja to forensic investigations.
He added that they (detectives) need to visit other counties to interrogate people connected to the suspect.
“We are seeking more suspects that have been linked to the murder, who are well known to the respondent. I request we be granted 14 more days so that we can cover more ground and conclude the investigations,” the detective had told the court.
Mr Cohen is said to have mysteriously disappeared between July 19 and 20 and his lifeless body was found last week on Friday at his Kitusuru home in Nairobi inside a septic tank.
His estranged wife Sarah Wairimu is already detained by police as investigations continue.
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