Fifteen suspects, including 13 former Special Service Unit (SSU) officers, a Kenya Wildlife Service officer, and a National Intelligence Service agent, will remain in remand custody for another 13 days.
This follows a ruling by Kiambu High Court Judge Abigail Mshila who set December 13 as the date for determining whether the officers will be released or charged with murder.
The suspects have been in custody since November 2022, awaiting a decision on charges related to the alleged abduction and killing of two Indian nationals and a Kenyan taxi driver.
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has accused them of murder, but they have yet to take a plea.
Through their legal team, led by lawyers Wandungi Karathe, Danstan Omari, and Clinton Mwale, the defence argued for their release.
They noted that the suspects’ families had paid bond and cash bail as directed by High Court Judge Dorah Chepkwony, but the officers remain in custody.
The defence described the case as a politically motivated witch hunt and accused the state of unjustly holding the officers without formal charges being filed.
The prosecution team, led by Augustine Gacharia, opposed the release, citing an appeal application requesting the officers’ transfer from Kiambu Remand Prison to Nairobi Industrial Remand.
The application seeks to ensure the suspects remain detained until the appeal is heard and determined.
Meanwhile, the victims’ families have expressed frustration over the delays.
They recently called on Chief Justice Martha Koome to intervene, highlighting the financial and emotional strain they have endured.
The families noted that despite posting a bond of Ksh 5 million and a cash bail of Ksh 1 million, the suspects remain in custody.
The court’s decision on December 13 will be closely watched as it determines the next steps in this high-profile case that has drawn public and legal scrutiny.
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