Ten Machakos County officers charged for assaulting MCA during dramatic arrest

Ten Machakos County inspectorate officers involved in the dramatic assault of Kalama Ward MCA Boniface Maeke on Wednesday have been arrested and arraigned in court.

In a miscellaneous application filed by the Machakos DCI on Thursday, the prosecution sought to have the officers charged with robbery with violence and assault among other charges for inflicting bodily harm on MCA Maeke.

The applicant, DCI Kathambi Nancy Mumma, also sought to have the county askaris detained for 14 days at the Machakos Police Station pending the conclusion of investigations.

“The applicant is undertaking investigations in relation to an offence of robbery with violence contrary to section 296(2), assault causing actual bodily harm Contrary to Section 251, and creating a disturbance in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace Contrary to Section 95(1)(b) of the penal code,” read the affidavit seen by Citizen Digital.

“I therefore pray that this honourable court to authorize the detained persons of interest at Machakos Police Station for 14 days pending the conclusion of the investigations.”

Mumma argues that releasing the suspects may interfere with investigations since some of their accomplices might still be on the run and an identification parade is yet to be conducted.

“The identification parade has not been conducted, witness statements have not yet all been recorded, and if the respondents are released they might interfere with the investigations,” she stated.

During the attack on the MCA, Mumma recorded, the suspects stripped him naked and injured his left leg ankle,  left hand, ribs and private parts.

They are also alleged to have stolen Ksh.100,000 at the time in his wallet and a Samsung mobile phone valued at Ksh.150,000.

She said the MCA is still recuperating and unable to attend the court session, adding that he was rushed to Bristol Park Hospital and later referred to Nairobi Hospital for further treatment.

The Wednesday incident saw a commotion ensue outside the Machakos Law Court where a group of men accosted Maeke, who had gone to the court in solidarity with Masii MCA Douglas Musyoka following his arrest on Tuesday on accusations that his homestead in Machakos was not built per county government regulations.

MCA Maeke was singled out from his colleagues outside the court where he was forcefully arrested and whisked by over six men but resisted entering the county vehicles.

The MCA suffered a broken ankle in the incident and was escorted by Machakos OCS to the police station where he recorded a statement and was later taken to the hospital.

The aftermath of the attack has attracted public condemnation with Governor Wavinya Ndeti on Thursday condemning the incident and ordering a probe into the matter.