16 suspects accused of harassing female driver to spend night in custody

16 suspects arrested over sexual assault of a female motorist in Nairobi will spend a night in custody ahead of a ruling on an application by the investigating officers to hold them for 20 days to conclude investigations.

Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe adjourned the matter to Thursday 10th March at 11AM when he will deliver the ruling.

Investigating officers Lyvonne Mwanzia had requested the Court to issue a custodial order to detain the 16 for 20 days at Gigiri police station to allow them them to complete investigations on robbery with violence and sexual assault charges.

Mwanzia told the Court that they need to obtain CCTV footage of the incident, take witnesses statements, interrogate the suspects and take their statements, compile a police file and forward it to the ODPP for perusal before they are formally charged.

According to the charge sheet, the 16 bodaboda riders are accused of sexually assaulting Tafadzwa Esnath Chiposi on 4th of March 2022 along Wangari Mathai road and stealing her I Phone valued at Ksh 130,000 after accusing her of hitting a fellow bodaboda rider.

Mwanzia said the 20 days will enable her request for call data from service providers to trace the accused movements on the time of the assault as well as subject the suspects mobile phones to forensic analysis.

The suspects who were not represented by any lawyer opposed the miscellaneous application saying it will affect their business.

Some even claims they are not boda boda riders saying they are touts and fruit vendors.
Mwanzia told the Court that the victim Chiposi is still in hospital undergoing treatment following the incident.