Man charged with violent robbery after assault on Kasarani traffic police officer
By Joseph Ndunda |
Ian Ngige Njoroge is accused of violently stealing a police communication gadget's battery worth Sh50,000 after attacking Corporal Jacob Ogendo.
The 19-year-old man who allegedly assaulted a traffic police officer in Kasarani, Nairobi, last Sunday has denied charges of violent robbery.
Ian Ngige Njoroge is accused of violently stealing the battery of a police communication gadget worth Sh50,000.
Njoroge was charged with robbery with violence, contrary to Section 296(2) of the Penal Code, where he is accused of using actual violence in an attack on Corporal Jacob Ogendo on June 2, 2024. This offence is punishable with a death sentence only upon conviction.
He is also facing charges of causing grievous harm to Cpl. Ogendo, contrary to Section 234 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), and assaulting a police officer in contravention of the National Police Service (NPS) Act of 2011.
Njoroge denied the three charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Benmark Ekhumbi of the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.
The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) pleaded with the court to remand the suspect in police custody to allow the officer investigating the case to prepare an affidavit to oppose bail and bond terms.
The ODPP said the officer was assigned the matter on Monday and had a very short time to record the witness statements and get experts' reports before forwarding the file for approval.
The officer was therefore unable to find time to prepare the affidavit, which is a mandatory requirement when opposing bail and bond terms.
Njoroge claimed to be sick and opposed the application through lawyer Duncan Okatch, who described it as "strange" and warned that such orders might be misused in the future.
"If you open that window, nothing stops any police officer from coming to court (to make similar applications) for that reason," the lawyer said.
In his ruling, the magistrate ordered the suspect escorted to the Kenyatta National Hospital on Tuesday for medical checks, and then to the Industrial Area Police Station ahead. The DPP and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) were ordered to be ready on Wednesday to file the affidavit for opposing bail and bond terms.
Njoroge was traced to Eastlands, Nairobi, where he had retreated after the incident.
In the incident, he was intercepted by Cpl. Ogendo after obstructing Kamiti Road while making a U-turn. He was driving a truck, which Corporal Ogendo boarded to escort him to the police station for traffic offences.
However, the suspect allegedly drew a sword, prompting the officer to jump out of the vehicle and flee. The suspect is said to have followed him and assaulted him before robbing him.
Reader comments
Follow Us and Stay Connected!
We'd love for you to join our community and stay updated with our latest stories and updates. Follow us on our social media channels and be part of the conversation!
Let's stay connected and keep the dialogue going!
Latest News For You
