Majivuno Mwasambu in a Mombasa court where he was charged with the
murder of three policemen during riots in the port city August 31, 2012.
He was not required to take plea.
Daily Nation
Friday, August 31, 2012
A man who police suspect is behind the attacks that left three
policemen dead and others injured during the deadly Mombasa riots was
Friday charged in court with three counts of murder.
Majivuno Mwasambu alias Pole, who appeared before
Mombasa High Court Judge Maureen Odero, was informed of the charges
facing him but was not required to take plea.
Lady Justice Odero ordered the suspect to appear in court on September 12 when he will plead to the charges.
State counsel Lucas Tanui prosecuting, applied to
have the suspected remanded in custody for ten days saying police had
not completed investigations and a psychiatric report was not ready.
“We are seeking more time, the
accused was arrested on August 30, police have not completed
investigations," Mr Tanui told the court.
Asked if he had anything to
say, the suspect who looked calm and composed, told the court that “let
them do investigations because I was not involved”.
The suspect allegedly, jointly
with others not before court, murdered prison officers Kipchumba
Kipkoech, Kithome Mbugi, and Abdul Aziz.
He is alleged to have committed the offences on August 28 this year at Mwandoni area in Kisauni,Mombasa County.
The judge also directed the High Court deputy registrar to appoint a lawyer for the suspect.
The suspect was remanded at Central Police Station.
This came as police stepped up
patrols and surveillance across the Kenyan Coastal town to prevent any
further riots as Muslim faithful turn up in mosques for their Friday
prayers.
General Service Unit officers and
anti riot police were deployed in different streets of the town as
early as 7.30am as other business owners decided to shut their premises
to avoid losses.
At Majid Musa Mosque, where
Sheikh Aboud Rogo, the cleric whose killing on Monday sparked the deadly
riots, people were advised to keep off the mosque as police sealed off
the area following intelligence reports that youth were planning to
cause chaos after the prayers.
A spot check by the Nation revealed thatmost
shops were closed for the fifth consecutive day as other business
people within Central Business District were asked to be vigilant as
they carry out their businesses.
Police moved from one shop to the
other in Bondeni area, advising proprietors to ensure all their
merchandise is stocked inside their shops.
In Kisauni, where a police
officer was killed and his colleagues seriously injured on Tuesday
afternoon after a grenade was hurled to them, several lorries of
anti-riot police were also deployed to maintain order.
The three policemen died and fourteen others
were injured when a grenade was lobbed into their vehicle as they
patrolled Mwandoni in Kisauni.
Four others were injured on
Wednesday night when yet another explosive was hurled at a police
vehicle at Lebanon on Jomo Kenyatta avenue.