Court allows Police to detain Forest road suspect for 10 days
The court has allowed police to detain the suspected mastermind of the March 4, 2022 attack on a diplomat in Nairobi for 10 days.
Thus, Zachariah Nyaore Obadiah will remain behind bars until police complete investigations into this incident which the court says is of public interest.
Directing the suspect to be detained at Gigiri Police Station, Milimani Senior Principal magistrate Robinson Ondieki ruled that police require humble time to do thorough and balanced investigations as requested by the authorities and Senior Counsel Philip Murgor, who is appearing for the United Nations Diplomat Tafadzwa Esnath Chiposi.
Nyaore’s arrest brings to 17 the number of suspects arrested over the alleged violent robbery of property of the Diplomat.
She was also harassed and sexually assaulted.
The court noted the suspect did not oppose the 10-day detention period sought by the police although he claimed he was arrested at the scene while on his way to drop a client.
“I was arrested by police while passing through the scene of the crime to drop a client. My photo was circulated in both electronic, print, and social media. I was worried and fearing for my life then I decided to go into hiding,” the suspect told the magistrate.
He attempted to offer further information to the magistrate but Ondieki interjected telling him,” we are not hearing the case today. All that police are asking is for this court to allow them to detain you for 10 days.”
Ondieki asked the suspect whom police described as the beast of Forest Road to volunteer any information he is having to police to exonerate and distance himself from blame.
Mr Murgor who is watching brief for the UN Diplomat in the World Food Programme said “balanced but thorough investigations have to be conducted in the matter.”