The Eldoret High Court has issued an arrest warrant for a cybercrime officer from the DCI for allegedly withholding crucial evidence in a murder case involving a lawyer accused of killing a colleague.
DCI officer Daniel Kieni was supposed to present CCTV footage as key evidence in the case but has repeatedly failed to appear in court despite multiple summonses.
Lawyer Abel Mogaka is charged with the murder of his colleague, Calvin Ngaira, during a house party in Eldoret on May 18, 2019. It is alleged that Mogaka used a broken beer bottle to stab Ngaira after a commotion at the party.
Justice Robert Wananda, who is presiding over the case, criticized Kieni’s behavior as unusual and detrimental to the case’s progress. “Despite being summoned and promising to appear, the officer has neither appeared physically nor virtually, and no satisfactory explanation has been provided,” Justice Wananda stated.
The judge expressed concern over the officer’s conduct and has directed the arrest to be executed by the cybercrime unit at DCI headquarters in Nairobi. He lamented that such delays are contributing to prolonged court cases.
Justice Wananda issued a warrant of arrest for Inspector Daniel Kieni, instructing that the warrant be enforced by the cybercrime unit at DCI Nairobi.
In court, primary school teacher Kelvin Odhiambo described the last moments he shared with the deceased. Odhiambo recounted that the party, hosted by an advocate, involved drinks and food, with some guests watching Premier League matches on TV.
He recalled that around 5:30 a.m., Ngaira and a woman went outside, followed by Mogaka with a glass of beer, while others remained inside. An altercation outside allegedly led to the stabbing.
Ngaira, the only son of Hesbon Ngaira, the chief principal at Hill School in Eldoret, later died in a local hospital.
Mogaka, who denies the charges, is out on a Sh1 million bond with a similar surety. The next mention of the murder case is scheduled for October 18, 2024.
