Four police officers linked to an attempted robbery with the violence of Sh2 million at a Nairobi forex bureau were Friday released unconditionally.
Four Sgt Daniel Wambua Mthini who is in charge of the armory at Kasarani police station, corporal Eliud Kipkurui Bor, constable Stanley Gitonga and Sergeant Nicholas Murira attached to Mugutha police station in Juja sub-county appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate Bernard Ochoi on Tuesday before being remanded.
Three of them except Murira had been arrested on Monday and spent the night at Central police station while Murira presented himself in court on Tuesday.
The investigating officer corporal Joseph Omeru made an application to have the four officers held for seven days before charging them as police complete with their investigations.
Ochoi ordered the officers to be held at Central police station for two days and when they reappeared again in court for the determination of the application as Omeru was too ordered to appear and state whether he was through with his investigations.
Omeru told the court that police had found no evidence to link them with the alleged attempt of robbery on the forex bureau therefore they were closing their investigation file.
“Your honor we have found no evidence to link the four officers to the alleged crime attempt therefore we are applying to have them acquitted and their file closed,” said Omeru.
He added that an inquiry file will be opened at the police headquarters in Jogoo house where their matter will be dealt with administratively by their seniors.
Ochoi accepted the application and ordered that their cell phones which were impounded from them be returned to them within 14 days.
The four produced in court letters of interdiction which they claimed had come from the National Police Service.
The officers had been arrested by their colleagues from Nairobi area regional headquarters following an attempted robbery.
A manager Hassan Abdi Omar of Afro Forex Limited at Lonrho house had withdrawn the cash from Absa bank Queensway House branch and in the company of Mohammed Hassan had been confronted by robbers.
And while along Standard Street about 20 meters from their Forex bureau they were confronted by four men who claimed to be police officers and informed them that they were after Hassan.
Hassan was carrying the bag containing the money and they said that police were pursuing him for an offense that they did not disclose.
During the commotion, Omar snatched the black bag containing money from Mohamed and threw it to the security guard who was outside the forex bureau.
Omeru report added that at the time, Omar raised an alarm which attracted the nearby security guards and Administration Police officers who were guarding the nearby Forex Bureau.
On arrival of the AP officers, the four suspects identified themselves which led to their counterparts withdrawing.
In the statement that Omar and Hassan gave to the police, they claimed that the officers arrested them and began asking for ransom which they were given Sh50,000.
The officers were arrested as they in the Muthaiga area as they drove away.
The matter is now being handled internally.
