Two police officers on Monday moved before a Mombasa Court to appeal the court’s ruling of sentencing them to a seven-year prison term for killing a 14-year-old girl.
Kinango DCIO Veronica Gitahi and police constable Issa Mzee were found guilty of killing Kwekwe Mwandaza in Kwale County.
The two through their lawyer Mr Jarred Magolo, said they were dissatisfied with the judgement issued by Judge Martin Muya in February this year.
Magolo asked the court to release his clients on bail pending the hearing and determination of the appeal, adding that one of them is sick and needs medical attention.
The lawyer said that Ms Gitahi was suffering from diabetes and she can proceed with the appeal while on medication at home.
“My client is sick and the crime she was alleged to have committed was committed while on the line of duty as a service person of this country,” said Mr Magolo.
The lawyer further said that his clients did not miss any court session during the trial and they had proved they were not a flight risk.
Senior State Counsel Alexander Muteti however opposed the bail application saying the accused are likely to run away adding that all appeals are heard while the convicts are serving their sentence.
The appeal will be heard by three Appellate Judges, Judge Mahandia Asike, Judge William Ouko and Judge Kathurima M’noti in May.
In his ruling, Judge Martin Muya, who found the two police officers guilty of manslaughter, noted that the two were reckless with their firearms.
The court heard that Kwekwe was shot dead at her home in Kinango village on August 22, 2014 by police officers that were hunting down her uncle, a suspected criminal.
“There has been a rampant use of firearms among Kenya police. In this matter I find that the two accused should be used to send a message to other police officers,” said the judge.