An Administration Police officer who was freed by his colleagues in Mandera County was on Monday arraigned before a Mandera Court.

Is there a story unfolding in your community? Let Hivisasa know

Officer Richard Githaga Karanja was facing charges of alleged robbery with violence and escaping from police custody.

Karanja had been arrested in December in connection with a robbery with violence incident at a petrol station in Mandera that left a guard dead and at least Sh700,000 stolen.

Following his arrest, 14 officers attached to the Rapid Deployment Unit in Mandera Kapendo Camp went to the station on December 13 to demand the release of their colleague who was being held at the Mandera Police Station which is about 5kms from their camp.

The officers while on foot and in full combat gear begun shooting in the air and managed to free Karanja who was being detained.

Karanja was however later on rearrested by police officers and taken to Buruburu Police Station.

The court heard that officer Karanja together with others not before the court committed the offence of robbery with violence on December 8, 2018.

The prosecution said while armed with rifles and other dangerous weapons, the accused person with his accomplices robbed Mr Muhudin Yussuf Abdullahi of Sh729,000 and killed a guard, Mr Dakane Abdille Abdi.

Karanja, however, denied the charges before Mandera Senior Resident Magistrate Peter Areri and filed an application to be released on bail.

The prosecution led by State Counsel Allen Mulama opposed the bail application arguing that the accused is a threat to witnesses and that he was a flight risk.

Magistrate Areri ordered for the accused person to be detained until the next case hearing when he will make a ruling on the bail application.

The case will be heard on January 18.

#hivisasaoriginal