POLICE may drop charges against Simon Wambugu Gachamba, who was arrested with phones stolen from two women carjacked in Nairobi and their car used by Kabete MP George Muchai’s killers.
Detectives believe by doing so, they will strengthen their case and prove charges of robbery with violence against two women and four men suspected to have killed Muchai on February 7.
The mobile phones stolen from the carjack victims led police to arrest Eric Isabwa Muyera, alias Chairman, who is said to have pulled the trigger.
‘Chairman’, Mustafa Kimani Anyonyi, alias Musto, and Jane Wanjiru Kamau, alias Shiro, were arrested last Friday at a house in Murera, Ruiru, after they fled from their homes in Kangemi to avoid arrest.
The other suspects in police custody are Margaret Njeri Wachiuri, Steven Astiva Lipopo, alias Chokore, and Raphael Kimani Gachie, alias Kim Butcher.
Three of the six suspects were arrested only two hours before Muchai’s remains were lowered into the grave at his Kamulu home on Friday the 13th.
Police said the arrest of the three was a breakthrough that led to the recovery of the gun used in the killings. CID chief Ndegwa Muhoro had been given a 72-hour deadline to arrest the killers by angry MPs.
A police source told the Star that though the male suspects remained silent under interrogation, one of the female suspects was cooperative and led the police to where the G3 murder weapon and seven bullets were hidden.
The 30-year-old mother of two, who is the wife of Eric Isabwa Munyeria, led police to her house in Kangemi where the weapons were recovered.
The investigation team comprised close to 20 police officers from the Flying Squad, Special Crimes Prevention Unit and Nairobi Central CID.
The team was headed by former head of the Flying Squad Nyale Munga and Nairobi CID chief Nicholas Kamwende and reported directly to Muhoro.
The suspects have since told the police that they were not assassins hired to kill Muchai. In their statements recorded by the police, the suspects said they shot the MP because they saw one of his bodyguards reach for his gun.
They claimed were on a nightlong robbery mission and took an interest in the MP’s car only because they saw it parked.
They had made a paltry Sh6,000 all night, most of which they forced two women they had carjacked to withdraw from an ATM in Kikuyu town.
The suspects said they were on Uhuru HIghway heading to Lang’ata Road when they spotted the Toyota Fortuner parked on Kenyatta Avenue.
Police had earlier said Muchai was buying a newspaper when he and his aides were felled.
– the-star.co.ke
