Ezekiel Kipkoech Tarus, a police officer linked to the death of his colleague, is expected to take a murder plea at the Makadara Law Courts on Thursday, March 13, 2025.
Milimani Law Courts Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina issued the directives on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, to enable them to complete investigations of his involvement in the murder of Officer Raphael Kimuli Wambua.
On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) told court that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer Suleiman Mwatajiri requested an extension of custodian orders for 5 days.
The DPP argued that IO Mwatajiri needed the extra time to peruse the investigative report, after which the matter will be closed.
“It is our prayer that the court grants the prosecution the extension of five days it is asking for,” the prosecution stated.
However, lawyer Martina Swiga, representing officer Tarus, vehemently opposed the application for an extension of detention days for her client.
Lawyer Martina stated that the prosecution did not give a clear indication of when the perusal will be done.
She further stated that the investigations on the matter have been concluded and there are no more grounds for detaining him, urging the court to overrule the application.
“I urge this court to overrule the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) application for the extension and release Tarus,” lawyer Martina told the court.
She stated that the suspect had been in custody for a long time; thus, any attempt to prolong his detention would be prejudicial.
DCI’s investigation
Earlier, the DCI sought to detain the police officer for 14 days so they could conduct an identification parade, allow the murder weapon to be examined, and take the respondent to Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital for mental assessment.
According to Mwatajiri, Tarus is suspected of murdering Kimuli Wambua on February 23, 2025, contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code Cap 63 Laws of Kenya.
Tarus, a police officer attached to VIP protection at Safaricom, is suspected of killing Wambua, who was attached to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), at the Naivas area within Ruaraka by shooting him with his pistol.
“Tarus is suspected to have fatally shot the deceased person using his firearm, a Jericho pistol s/no KP 44338440, where the matter was reported vide OB NO. 03/23/02/2025 of Ruaraka Police Station,” part of the application read.
According to the application, at the time of the incident, the deceased was in the company of his brother, Erick Ngolania Wambua, a police officer attached to the GSU headquarters.
The two brothers had reportedly gone to watch a football match and drink at a bar in the Naivas area, where they stayed until around 1:20 am.
On their way home, Tarus allegedly attacked them and shot the deceased.
In an affidavit, Watajiri stated that after the incident, Tarus was subjected to mob injustice by members of the public but was fortunately rescued by police officers from Ruaraka Police Station.
He had cited that the officer’s life was in danger and there was a need for him to be detained.
“The respondent’s life is in danger considering that on the material day he was subjected to mob injustice,” part of the application read.
Furthermore, he stated that Tarus, being a police officer, could interfere with the ongoing investigations and compromise witnesses.
Additionally, Watajiri indicated that the officer needed to undergo a mental assessment at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital before being charged with the offense.
