A Kabarnet court has allowed police to detain a 27-year-old man alleged to be behind a series of armed robberies at the Kabel trading center and its environs for seven days.
Dickson Leyapan appeared before Principal Magistrate (PM) Caroline Ateya on Monday but did not take a plea after the Investigating Officer Cliff Nyakundi, through a miscellaneous application requested the court for more time to conclude investigations.
Leyapan was produced in court after he was arrested by members of the public while in a group of robbers armed with AK47 riffles that robbed Prime Petroleum station and Java Restaurant on October 19 and made away with Sh.54,800 and Sh 24,300 respectively at the trading center in Mochongoi Ward within Baringo County.
According to Nyakundi, the incident was reported at the Kabel police post where after visiting the scene of the crime the officers recovered three cartridges and a projectile.
The investigating officer prayed the court to grant him 10 more days in order to enable him to complete investigating the suspect’s M-Pesa and bank accounts and to give ballistics experts from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations time to analyze the projectile cartridges and bullets.
“Your honor, the suspect is a flight risk and has no known permanent address,” he added.
Ruling on the application, Ms Ateya said, “I find complete reasons given, and the application is allowed and the suspect will be held for seven days at Marigat police station awaiting completion of investigations.”
The Magistrate granted the investigation seven days and ordered the suspect to be held at Marigat police station until October 30 when he is expected to take a plea.
By Joan Tarus and Joshua Kibet
