In summary
- Charged with killing Jamal Mohammed and Mohammed Dhair Kheri in 2017
- The court released him on a Ksh200,000 cash bail
- Eastleigh community the DPP to drop the charges against the officer saying he acted within the law
Embattled Pangani based police officer Ahmed Rashid was in Monday 17th April charged with the murder of two boys in Eastleigh,
Rashid, denied killing Jamal Mohammed and Mohammed Dhair Kheri in 2017.
The officer Rashid, who has been out on police bond asked Justice Diana Mochache to release him on a Ksh100,000 cash bail.
Through lawyer Danstan Omari, Rashid argued that despite being out on police bond, he has never absconded court.
However, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) through state counsel Gichuhi Gikui said that they had an application to make before the bail ruling. The DPP had asked until 4 pm to file the application, which was denied by court.
Freed On Bond
The court however released him on a cash bail of Ksh200,000.
The murder charges were recommended by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) after it conducted its investigations.
The Eastleigh business community, which has a membership of 24,000 people, has since urged the DPP to drop the charges against the officer saying he acted within the law.
In the amateur video shot from a balcony in Eastleigh, a police officer in plain clothes could be seen spraying bullets at a man lying on the road. The officer, upon running out of ammunition, signalled his companion who in turn gave him his firearm.
He continued shooting at the already lying man before proceeding to the next man lying a few metres away. The case drew angry reactions from human rights defenders and groups who faulted the officer for using excessive force in the line of duty, as part of the extra-judicial killings to combat the increasing crime rate.
By Rodgers Oduor
