APs in Sh72m heist probe told to file torture claims with Ipoa

The three administration police officers accused of involvement in last week's Sh72 million bank heist in Nairobi have been advised to lodge their complaints of torture with the Independent Policing and Oversight Authority (Ipoa).

Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi said Wednesday that the officers' claims of having been tortured while in custody merited investigations by Ipoa, even as they were charged with robbery with violence and malicious damage to property.

“A police officer knows what torture means. If he says he was tortured this needs to be taken seriously. Allegations of torture may be taken to Ipoa because this usually starts in a small way then spreads to others. If anyone was tortured then they should file a report with Ipoa,” said Mr Andayi.

Prosecution had requested the court to have the officers — Chris Machogu, Duncan Luvuga and Boniface Mutua —detained further and denied bond alongside civilians Vincent Owuor, Alex Mutuku and Francis Muriuki.

The investigations surrounding the robbery incident, argued the prosecution, are complex, with other accomplices having not yet been arrested.

But the defence maintained that there were no compelling reasons to warrant the accused's continued detention and that a police station would not be safe place for them.