- This follows a miscellaneous application made by the prosecution handling the case on Friday.
- The quartet appeared before Principal Magistrate Eunice Kimaiyo at Mavoko Law Courts.
Image: GEORGE OWITI
Police have been granted five days to hold four suspected gangsters arrested during a botched robbery with violence incident in Mlolongo, Machakos County on Thursday.
This follows a miscellaneous application made by the prosecution handling the case on Friday.
The quartet appeared before Principal Magistrate Eunice Kimaiyo at Mavoko Law Courts.
They, however, didn’t take plea.
“This court grants the prosecution five days to allow them to conclude their investigations before the suspects take a plea,” Kimaiyo said.
They are the three suspects aged 27, 26 and 30 alongside the fourth one who earlier fled the scene of the incident before he was later arrested by officers from Mlolongo police station.
The four have been detained at Mlolongo police station and are scheduled to reappear before Kimaiyo on May 30, 2024, when they are expected to take a plea.
Three of the suspects were arrested and a motor vehicle suspected to have been stolen was recovered from them on the fateful day, while the fourth one fled the scene on foot.
Police earlier said the incident was reported to Mlolongo police station as robbery with violence and recovery of suspected stolen vehicle incident at 9.06am.
Police said officers attached to the station while on patrol near Cooperative Bank within Mlolongo Township encountered a gang of four people attacking a lady and advancing towards them.
The thugs upon seeing the police ran in different directions with the officers in hot pursuit.
Three of the thugs ran and entered a get-away vehicle, a black Toyota Ractis but were blocked.
The gang, according to the police, fought and injured officers as they resisted arrest while trying to be subdued.
Two police officers got injured during the incident; one suffered a swollen right leg near the knee while the other suffered chest pains.
Police said the get-away vehicle's number plate had been altered using stickers.
The suspects were found in possession of assorted digit and letter stickers, a bunch of assorted keys, ten pieces of master keys with a grinding file, eight mobile phones of assorted models, three crow bars, a hook and a machete.
Police said a 33-year-old woman who was being attacked when the officers struck was robbed of an Oppo A20 mobile phone, Sh11,000, a wristwatch, a purse containing her national ID card and an ATM card.
Police said all the items were yet to be recovered.
She was beaten and injured on the face and hands, police said.
They said the suspects will be arraigned in Mavoko Law Courts on Friday.
The officers said they would be charged with robbery with violence, assaulting police officers, resisting arrest, preparation to commit a felony and having suspected stolen property.
The vehicle has been detained at Mlolongo police station as an exhibit awaiting verification of details and ownership.