A court in Kitui Wednesday directed that Philip Isika Tito, the driver of the Kitui county fire engine which crashed ex-Mayor Martha Mwangangi to death, undergoes a psychiatric exam prior to facing murder charges.
Led by Margaret Matiru, the State Counsel told Resident Magistrate Rose Ombata that the prosecution has preferred murder charges against Mr Tito after concluding investigations into the accident.
Ms Matiru further said the lower court lacked authority to handle such a case and requested for a further detention of the accused until the High Court resumes in 2017.
“We also pray this court to order mental assessment of the suspect to ascertain whether he is fit to stand trial before he is officially charged,” she said as quoted by Nation.
The court said that Tito remains in remand until January 12 next year when the case will be next mentioned for the submission of a psychiatric test report and fixing of a date for any subsequent plea.
The driver was first arraigned on December 19 where the court gave detectives seven more days to conduct and conclude their investigations into the incident.