Detectives get 10 more days to probe murder of Nation Centre switchboard operator

Piece by: star.writer
Lifestyle

A magistrate has granted police 10 more days to complete probing a taxi driver linked with the murder of Mildred Odira who worked as a switchboard operator.

Mildred worked with Foresight Company but based at Nation Centre, Nairobi. She was allegedly last seen with taxi driver David Ochieng. She disappeared on January 29 in Kariobangi South where she lived. Her body was found in City Mortuary six days later.

On Tuesday when the case came up for mention before Kiambu senior principal magistrate Stella Atambo, investigating officer, through senior state counsel Christine Mbevi, requested for 10 more days to finish investigations.

The prosecutor said the detectives have already received DNA results from the government chemist. The magistrate allowed the request and directed that the case be mention on April 24 for further orders.

Earlier, chief magistrate Patricia Gichohi had released Ochieng on Sh200,000 bail, pending completion of investigations. She also ordered that he be reporting to the DCI office in Kasarani, Nairobi, three times a week until the probes are completed.

About the bail, Gichohi considered that the suspect had been in police custody since February 4, following a court order. She also took into account the rights of the suspect and those of Mildred's family.

The prosecution had said the detectives were waiting for DNA results from government chemist before deciding whether to charge the suspect with murder or release him. But the magistrate viewed this as indecisiveness, pointing out that it was not sure whether it has evidence to prefer charges.

According to the preliminary investigations, Mildred had sought a taxi to take her to Ruaraka’s Uhai Neema Hospital after she fell ill at night. She never made it to the hospital. It is said, however, that the taxi man told her family that he drove and left Mildred at the facility.

Investigators found that Ochieng signed in at the hospital’s gates at 4.30am and signed out at 5.57am, 1 hour 27 minutes, which contradicted the 20-minute duration he had given to her family. But according to detectives,  CCTV footage showed the driver entering and immediately exiting without dropping anyone.