A police officer on trial for the murder of Alexander Monson has contradicted previous defence testimony that Monson had claimed ownership of drugs allegedly found on him.
Police constable Ismael Baraka said when Monson was taken to the police station by the patrolling team, they left him sitting at the reporting desk.
He said Monson did not leave the reception until the time he was escorted to his cell room.
Baraka was testifying during the defence hearing of a case where he and four other officers are charged with murdering Moonson.
Other officers include Naftali Chege, John Pamba and Charles Munyiri.
They are charged with murdering Monson on May 19, 2012, at Diani police station in Kwale county.
The accused were found to have a case to answer by Judge Erick Ogola and were put on trial.
Baraka alongside another officer manned the reporting desk and the cells and they were responsible for recording suspects who were taken to custody.
When the arresting officer came in, he was in the company of Monson and his friend of African origin, Baraka testified.
He said the arresting officer left Monson at the reporting desk and escorted the other suspect to the tourism unit boss’s office.
He said after few minutes, the other suspect left the office claiming that he had been interrogated but nothing was found on him and therefore released.
“He asked Monson on whether he had a problem with him being released but the deceased told him it was fine. The man left,” Baraka said.
Baraka told the trial court that he asked Monson what crime he had committed but the Briton said it was nothing serious.
He said the arresting officer came back a few minutes later from the TPU’s office and booked Monson on the occurrence book while he recorded him on the cell book before he was escorted to his cell.
Baraka’s accounts of what transpired on the night Monson was arrested and his last hours alive contradicts previous statements by his co-accused that they had interrogated Monson at the tourism police unit’s office.
Baraka told the court that Monson never left the reception area.
Police corporal Chege had on Monday told the court that Monson had been interrogated and had actually confessed to being the owner of the drugs found in the car.
Chege said the deceased had claimed ownership and had requested for his friend to be released as he was not linked in any way to the drugs.
Inspector Munyiri who was in charge of the tourism police unit at the station said the drugs belonged to Monson and that is why they released his friend and intended to use him as a witness.
Baraka said there was no confrontation between him and the deceased as they even had banter.
“I even gave Monsoon my seat and he sounded well. If he had any head injuries, I would not have seen them because he had long hair,” he said.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
