Naivasha, Kenya — A Naivasha court has ordered the detention of four police officers for 10 days as investigations continue into the shooting death of their colleague, Constable Hassan Lolkidid, in Mai Mahiu on October 29, 2025.
The four suspects — Jim Murithi, Emmanuel Sang, Antony Wang’ombe, and Joshua Keter — all attached to Mai Mahiu Police Station, are accused of being involved in the killing, which occurred in the Mikiti area of Mai Mahiu Township, Naivasha sub-county.
Suspicious Scene and Conflicting Accounts
According to the investigating officer, Corporal David Otieno, the deceased officer was shot in the chest at around 1:30 a.m. while at a scene where a lorry was being offloaded with tyres and hardware goods.
The court heard that when police challenged the individuals offloading the truck, they fled the scene. Moments later, gunshots rang out, and Constable Lolkidid was found fatally wounded. The incident was promptly reported at Mai Mahiu Police Station.
Corporal Otieno told the court that upon visiting the scene, he discovered that it had been disturbed and tampered with, suggesting possible manipulation to frame the death as a suicide.
“The scene looked manipulated to show that the deceased committed suicide,” he told the court, noting that the arrangement appeared choreographed.
He added that preliminary findings indicate the suspects interfered with the crime scene by placing a firearm in the deceased’s hand and positioning it toward his chest to support the self-inflicted gunshot theory.
Ballistics and Missing Evidence
The investigating officer confiscated all pistols belonging to the four suspects and sent them for ballistic examination. He revealed that a bullet is still lodged in the deceased’s chest, and a post-mortem examination will be conducted to retrieve and analyze it.
He further stated that the four officers are also suspected of involvement in a robbery with violence incident linked to the same lorry, whose driver has since gone missing.
“Interference of witnesses is real. They are police officers, and most of those to record statements are their informers. They are now cooperating because the suspects are in custody,” Otieno said.
Citing risks of witness intimidation and obstruction of justice, Corporal Otieno urged the court to detain the officers for 21 days, noting their training in firearms and the existence of a missing weapon still at large that poses a community threat.
Defence Opposes Detention
Defence lawyer Danstan Omari opposed the prosecution’s application, arguing that bond is a constitutional right and that the State had not provided evidence of any attempt by the suspects to interfere with witnesses.
“The prosecution’s fears are based on mere apprehension,” Omari said, insisting that interference with witnesses is a criminal offence that must be proven before bail can be denied.
He reminded the court that the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty, citing Articles 49(1)(h) and 50(2) of the Constitution, which guarantee the right to bail and fair trial
After reviewing submissions from both parties, the court ruled that the four officers be detained at Naivasha Police Station for 10 days.
The magistrate noted that investigators required more time to retrieve the bullet for ballistic analysis, record additional witness statements, and trace the missing driver believed to be a key witness in the case.
The officers are expected to be presented in court once investigations are complete, paving the way for a possible murder or manslaughter charge, depending on the findings of the probe.
