Lawyer arrested over missing petition file in Mandera county. Photo/Standard.)
A lawyer is being held at Mandera police station after he was arrested on suspicion of stealing a case file.
The lawyer, whose name is withheld, was arrested on Wednesday morning at Mandera Airstrip as he prepared to board a plane to Nairobi.
According to Mandera senior resident magistrate Peter Areri, a court clerk reported that parts of an election petition were missing.
"There were proceedings on Tuesday and I had to deliver a ruling on whether the petition will be heard or dismissed but unfortunately parts of the file went missing hours later," said Areri.
Areri said only five people wherein the court during the hearing of the case and he suspected that the 3 advocates present might have stolen the file.
He said the missing documents will cripple the whole petition process.
Mandera county commissioner Fredrick Shisia confirmed the arrest and said police are investigating the matter.
"An advocate who is a suspect is in custody helping with investigations," said Shisia.