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Charges dropped for mechanic in State House car case

Flying Squad boss Munga Nyale told journalists that they were finalising investigations against four suspects who will be arraigned in court on Monday/FILE

Flying Squad boss Munga Nyale told journalists that they were finalising investigations against four suspects who will be arraigned in court on Monday/FILE

NAIROBI Kenya, Sept 5- The prosecution has now dropped charges against a Nakuru mechanic over the State House BMW that was recovered in Uganda after he agreed to be a witness in the case.

His lawyer Cliff Ombeta told Capital FM News that police have dropped the two charges of handling a stolen motor vehicle and possession of a firearm.

“My client is now free, there are no charges facing him after they were withdrawn this morning,” Ombeta said on telephone.

He said the charges were withdrawn after police realized that they recovered the BMW in Uganda and arrested some of the suspects following information provided to them by the mechanic.

“I have stated from the beginning that my client is innocent,” Ombeta said.

Earlier on Friday, Flying Squad boss Munga Nyale told journalists that they were finalising investigations against four suspects who will be arraigned in court on Monday.

Nyale told journalists that they have unearthed a syndicate that led to the carjacking of a State House driver in Ruai on Wednesday last week.

“As per now I can authoritatively say that we know all people who are involved in this,” he affirmed. “We have some who will appear before the court on Monday and we are pursuing others who are still at large.”

The limousine was recovered in the outskirts of Kampala on Wednesday after a joint operation involving Kenyan and Ugandan police officers.

Nyale explained that the BMW was abandoned after negotiations with those who were involved saying, “we did not have any option.”

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“There was a lot of negotiations…abandon the car first; release our people,” he explained. “When we got the suspects in Kenya, they had already delivered the vehicle for sale in Uganda. The suspects are Kenyans.”

He was speaking after the vehicle arrived under heavy security at the Nairobi police headquarters.

“Nobody was arrested in Uganda,” he stated. “We are capable; we have the muscles as you can see.”

Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo has been quoted saying administrative action will be taken against anyone found to have flouted regulations guiding the use of government vehicles.

It is not clear if the State House driver will face any charges.

Nyale however pointed out that the thieves could not have been aware that the car belongs to the government or the police.

“Thieves do try, they saw the car thinking it was just a normal car; they knew later after media reports,” he stated.

For carjackers, he had a message for them; “we shall continue being firm…if you steal I will be with you.”

“That’s my job… I will continue like that with even more vigor to make sure they stop.”

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When news of the theft emerged, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Spokesman Manoah Esipisu said the vehicle belonged to the Kenya Police Service.

He also explained that it was not armour-plated and was not part of the presidential fleet.

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