Officer accused of killing colleagues taken to court

By JOB WERUA police constable accused of killing his two seniors was arraigned in court Monday evening.
Clad in a dark-green hooded jacket, a blue t-shirt and unbelted jeans, Mark Mutwiri Mbogo was pensive when he appeared before the Nyeri High Court.
A handcuffed Mutwiri was not required to plead to the two murder charges, as police were yet to complete investigation.
Mutwiri sat at the dock and regularly consulted his lawyer Njuguna Kimani as he waited for the Deputy High Court Registrar Kenneth Cheruiyot. Central Provincial State Counsel Job Kaigai prayed for more time to allow completion of investigation. "We need about two weeks to record witness statements, while some of them are still traumatised. We need to give them time to recover," said Kaigai.

Mark Mutwiri Mbogo (centre) Monday appeared before the Nyeri High Court for the mention of his case. The police constable is alleged to have murdered two senior colleagues at the weekend. [PHOTO: JOB WERU/STANDARD]

The counsel told the registrar the rifle, a G3, which Mutwiri allegedly used to fire the killer bullets and the spent cartridges had not been taken to a ballistics expert for analysis.
"We need to conduct autopsy on the bodies and also do an age assessment and a psychiatric test for the suspect before he can be allowed to plead to charges," said Kaigai.
Police custody
The suspect, through his lawyer, did not object to the application. Cheruiyot directed the accused be remanded in police custody until April 11 when the case will be mentioned.
A charge sheet prepared by the prosecution showed the suspect would face two murder charges.
The first count states that on March 26 at Narumoru Police Station, he murdered senior sergeant John Koross.
The second count indicated the accused, on the same day and place, murdered Acting Inspector Hudson Orwenyo Morang’a.
Orwenyo was the Deputy Officer Commanding Naromoru Police Station. The Deputy OCS died under a hail of bullets during the 6.30pm attack at his house within the station, as his eight-year old daughter, Vivian watched.
Koross was shot dead at the entrance to the station’s report desk, while another officer sustained bullet wounds on the shoulder, and is undergoing treatment at the Nanyuki Cottage Hospital.
The attack was allegedly prompted by Orwenyo’s decision to reprimand the accused for late arrival to duty. Mutwiri is said to have attacked a female police officer, who was to accompany him during night duty and grabbed a G3 rifle she was assigned, which he used to fire an estimated 16 out of 20 bullets in the gun.