Witnesses throng court to testify against policeman accused of bribe-taking

Several witnesses Tuesday appeared in a Mombasa court to testify against a police officer who was arrested and accused of receiving bribes in 2018.
Joseph Mutua Chumba told the court he was arrested by the officer while he was demolishing a house which was built near a bar.
He further told the court that the officer threatened to shoot him while he was at the top of the house adding that he was handcuffed by the officer and taken to a pub.
When asked by the court what happened in the pub, the witness told the court that he saw two people who came and had a conversation with the accused person which lasted for about an hour.
The witness further said that he was taken to Kiembeni police station where he was remanded but he was never told the crimes he had committed.
Chumba, a member of Nguu Tatu association said that he was later taken to Shanzu Law Courts and released on cash bail of Sh5, 000 but still he was never told the charges leveled against him.
Appearing before Chief Magistrate Edna Nyaloti, an EACC officer only identified as Murage told the court that the suspect, John Shikondi, who is the deputy officer commanding station of Kiembeni, was demanding Sh10, 000 from Chumba which was to facilitate the release of the accused person.
Shikondi was arrested on January 8, 2018 at Billionaire Club in Bamburi by detectives who laid a trap for him as he waited for the cash.
He was disarmed and detained at Port police station before he was released on a Sh50, 000 police bail.
He further told the court he assigned four investigators to meet at Billionaires pub where the bribery was to take place.
“Your honour, we positioned ourselves and we saw the witness issuing money to the suspect,” he told the court.
They arrested the suspect and recovered Sh8, 000, a pistol and 13 rounds of ammunition. The complainant told the EACC officers that the suspect was to receive Sh2, 000 after a negotiation.
According to the prosecution, nine more witness are lined up to testify against the deputy OCS.
The case was adjourned to May 29 when it would come up for hearing.
By Chacha Robert/Hussein Abdullahi