Four prime suspects in the murder of a senior police officer from Tharaka-Nithi, Joseph Kinyua, will remain in police custody until May 20 when the case will be mentioned.
The four were Monday presented in a Runjenjes court in Embu County.
They were brought under tight security and taken straight to the dock as curious wananchi struggled to have a glimpse of them.
Joseph Muriithi, Adrew Gikinda, Obandia Kinyua and David Mugambi were not allowed to plead to charges of murder as investigations are not yet complete.
14 DAYS
Consequently, Senior Principal Magistrate Josphat Gichimu allowed the police to hold the suspects for fourteen more days to allow detectives time to complete their investigations following an application by Mr Daniel Murgor.
Mr Murgor, an officer from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, informed the court that the suspects are still under interrogation and they could, therefore, not plead to any charge.
“We need more time in order to complete our investigations and we urge the court to allow us to continue holding the suspects,” said Mr Murgor.
Prosecutor Eunice Musango did not oppose the application by the DCI officer.
WATERTIGHT CASE
Mr Murgor told the court the four are key suspects believed to have been involved in the gruesome murder of the OCS and detectives require sufficient time to come up with a watertight case against them.
The magistrate ordered the suspects, who appeared composed, to be remanded at the local police station.
The suspects were flushed out of their hideouts in Ugweri village in Runyenjes Constituency where Mr Kinyua was hacked to death on Tuesday last week.
They were seized when police officers raided the village soon after the cold blooded killing of the OCS.
Mr Kinyua was pursuing a suspect in the murder of a Kamaindi Location Chief Josphat Mayau when he met his death.
The OCS had caught up with the main suspect, Mr David Ikaba, and ordered him to surrender.
HACKED
But the suspect struck the OCS with an axe, flooring him.
It was then that the villagers joined in attacking the officer and killed him.
The suspect was shot dead by police officers who had accompanied the slain OCS.
A police informer was also attacked and is still admitted to Tenri Hospital in Embu where he was rushed after the attack.
Doctors on Monday said that the informer, who is in the intensive care unit, is responding well to treatment.
Meanwhile, Embu County police boss Daniel Rukunga has urged relatives of the slain officer to be patient as the government is working round the clock to expose all the killers.