A Nakuru court on Monday ordered a traffic police officer accused of robbery with violence be remanded till Tuesday for the magistrate handling the case to return.
Peter Mathiru was charged on July 21 before Chief Magistrate Doreen Mulekyo on three accounts of robbery by using a pistol.
Mathiru in the company of others allegedly robbed at gunpoint Titus Kiplagat on July 15, at Salgaa in Nakuru of a lorry. The Mitsubishi lorry was loaded with computers, mobile phones, assorted garments among other things, all estimated at Sh69,641,702.
According to police, the suspects with others all in traffic police uniform at 6.45pm stopped the lorry, accused the complainant of speeding before ordering the occupants enter into another car and drove them off to unknown place where the cargo was offloaded into another vehicle.
Kiplagat says they were abandoned and they later found their way out at around 4.30am.
Mathiru had was arrested at his home at Ngorika in Olkalou and brought to CID offices in Nakuru for investigations and to record his statements.
On second account of the same charge, on the same day at Salgaa, Mathiru allegedly robbed Abdi Fara of a mobile phone valued at Sh6,000, Sh1,600 cash, a national identity card and a Eldoret airport gate pass.
He also allegedly robbed Abdishukri Alinur a mobile phone valued at Sh 2,300, a national identity card, National Bank ATM card, an employment card and Sh5, 000 cash.
His lawyer David Mongeri pleaded for his client to be released on a cash bail since he had already been remanded for a week.
“My client was remanded till today to pave way for ongoing investigations, I had applied for bond and it was to be heard today,” he said
However Chief Magistrate Joel Ngeno ordered Mathiru to be remanded at Bondeni police station until July 28 when the bond application will be heard.