City police boss freed of Sh50k bribery charges after blunder
A senior police officer accused of soliciting for a bribe walked out of a Nairobi court a free man on Thursday after the prosecution wrongly charged him under a section of the law that has been repealed.
Mr Henry Ngugi Njeru alias Patrick Henry Ngugi Njeru, the Kabete Divisional Criminal Investigating Officer (DCIO), was facing charges of corruptly soliciting sh50,000 from Mr James Wachaga Kamau.
He allegedly committed the offence on November 5, 2016 in Kabete.
The prosecution had charged him under section 39(3) of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act of 2003.
The prosecution then asked Principal Magistrate Lawrence Mogambi to allow them amend the charge sheet, but the application was opposed by Mr Njeru through his lawyer Cliff Ombetta.
The court noted that although the offence was committed last year, thus before the law was repealed, there was a provision that allowed ongoing investigations be brought under the new Act, once they are completed.
“From the foregoing, I decline to accept the charges and the suspect is hereby discharged,” he said.
Mr Njeru was accused of demanding sh50,000 from Mr Kamau so that he could release his camera which he had allegedly seized.
He was also to be charged with failing to record Mr Kamau’s complaint as required.
