ODPP Provides Clarity in Meru Blogger’s Murder Case
ODPP Provides Clarity in Meru Blogger’s Murder Case
ODPP Provides Clarity in Meru Blogger’s Murder Case
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) provided more details regarding the murder case of blogger Daniel Muthiani Bernard, also known as Sniper, who was based in Meru.In response to accusations of inaction, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) denied that it failed to advise the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on what actions to take following the arrest of a suspect in the murder.
According to the ODPP’s announcement, the suspect in the case—who goes by the moniker Supuu wa Mioro—was detained on suspicion of kidnapping.The ODPP also emphasized that since the kidnapped blogger remained unaccounted for while the investigations were ongoing, the DCI, acting via the ODPP’s office, requested custodial orders to keep the suspect.
The suspect was released by a Meru court on a Ksh 20,000 cash bond, according to the ODPP, and the matter is scheduled to be mentioned on January 5, 2024.”Instead of granting the suspect prison orders as requested by the DCI through the ODPP, the Chief Magistrate’s court in Maua, Meru County granted the suspect monetary bail of Ksh 20,000.00 and mandated that the suspect report to the police station every 14 days. According to the ODPP’s statement, the court also scheduled the application for mention for January 5, 2024.
In its clarification, the ODPP has also emphasised that following the retrieval of Daniel’s body, the office instructed the DCI to undertake investigations and submit an inquiry file into the murder case which they have not received to date.
The ODPP has, however, pledged to offer appropriate directions into the case upon the receipt of the inquiry file.
“Following the recovery of the body of the abducted person, the ODPP directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to undertake investigations for the offence of murder and submit the resultant inquiry file for perusal and further directions. The ODPP has not received the inquiry file into the offence of murder to date”, the statement read.
Digital Strategist Dennis Itumbi had on Tuesday, provided documents to prove his argument that ODPP had failed to offer directions to the DCI in Meru in regards to the investigations on the case.
According to case details, Daniel Muthiani called the primary suspect on December 2 before going missing.According to reports, the suspect was going to set up a meeting with a powerful politician to discuss remarks he had made about them on social media.After the blogger was found dead, the chief government pathologist’s post-mortem report showed that he had been tortured before being strangled to death.
