12 police officers charged with baby Pendo’s death to take plea today
The twelve police officers charged in connection with the death of baby Samantha Pendo in 2017 are expected to take plea today.
Justice Daniel Ogembo ruled that plea-taking would proceed today after he deferred it for seven days to allow suspects who were not present during the hearing last week to appear in court.
The 12 police officers are Titus Yoma, Titus Mutune, John Chengo, Linah Kogey, Benjamin Koima, Benjamin Lorema, Volker Edambo, Cyprine Robi, Josphat Sensira, Mohammed Ali Guyo, Mohammed Baa and James Rono.
The suspects said they had already filed objections at the Constitutional and Human Rights Division of the High Court to stop their prosecution.
The suspects through their defence lawyers argued that the plea-taking be deferred until the case is heard and determined.
“We, therefore, request that this matter is in abeyance pending determination of the cases including that for anticipatory bail,” the defence lawyers said.
The prosecution however opposed the argument claiming that adjourning the plea taking would amount to denying the victims their rights.
“This court should remember that there are victims, some of whom are dead and others living with scars. I urge the court to weigh the rights of those victims against those of the suspects being at liberty,” lawyer Willis Otieno said.
He said that if the court was to agree with the defence lawyers, then no case would proceed.
“Baby Pendo would probably be five years old today. Her soul is crying for justice. Let her rest in peace knowing that she left behind a country that cares for justice by allowing her murder trial to start,” he said.
Baby Pendo, who was six months at the time, was killed in August 2017 during post-election violence in Kisumu.
An autopsy revealed that she succumbed to serious head injuries caused by a blunt object.
