Four cops charged in baby Pendo murder case granted Ksh.1M cash bail each

Four senior police officers charged in baby Samantha Pendo’s murder case have been granted a cash bail of Ksh.1 million shillings and two sureties of Ksh.500,000 each.

Six-month-old Baby Pendo was fatally shot in August 2017 as police were deployed to quell violence linked to post-election protests in Kisumu.

The four officers were brought before the High Court on Monday brought before the High Court on Monday and charged under the International Crimes Act and the Rome Statute for crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, and torture committed by subordinates under their effective authority and control, as a result of their failure to exercise control properly over such subordinates.

John Chengo Masha, Linah Kosgey, Cyprine Robi Wankio, and James Rono, who were serving as Inspectors of Police at the time, denied the charges.

Lady Justice Margaret Muigai ordered the four not to visit the Nyalenda, Nyamasaria, and Nyawita areas in Kisumu County which are crime scenes in the case.

The accused persons will be reporting to the nearest Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) offices once every three months, pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Further, the court ordered the accused persons not to interfere with the victims or witnesses in the case and to deposit their passports in court.

The court also extended the warrant of arrest against police officer Mohammed Baa, which is to be executed by the Inspector General of police.

The case will be mentioned on July 2 for further directions.