A police officer alleged to have shot dead a young man in Mathare during curfew has been charged with murder.
Constable Beckham Osoro Orwaru attached to Muthaiga police station denied killing Reuben Karani, 26, before High Court judge Daniel Ogembo.
He allegedly committed the offence on April 13 in Mathare 4, Nairobi county.
The officer, through lawyer Geoffrey Omenke, pleaded with the court to be released on bail, saying he had suffered since he was arrested four weeks ago.
The lawyer told the court that his client was not a flight risk as he was still serving as a police officer.
Orwaru was charged after he was declared fit to stand trial by a doctor from Mathari Hospital.
He was arrested alongside police constable Joseph Mwendwa attached to Kamukunji police station and Harrison Mwanza who owns the kiosk where Karani was shot.
The deceased in the company of others was chewing miraa at the kiosk in Mathare 4 at around 3am when he was shot in the chest. He later succumbed to the injuries.
After investigations, detectives found no evidence to charge Mwendwa and Mwanza.
Detectives recovered a spent cartridge and a bullet head from the scene of the shooting.
Justice Ogembo ordered the officer to be remanded at Pangani police station until May 15 pending hearing of his bail application.
Edited by Henry Makori
