A court in Nyeri has granted police an additional two days to conduct a mental evaluation on the prime suspect in a case, where Nicholas Julius Macharia is accused of defiling and killing seven-year-old Tamara Blessing.
In his submission before Senior Principal Magistrate Faith Munyi, state prosecutor Dismas Lang’at said that the Investigating Officers (IOs) needed an extension to allow them to obtain a mental health evaluation report on the mental state of the suspect in the case.
While appraising the court on the progress of investigations, Lang’at said that the IOs had already recorded a cautionary statement with Macharia.
The prosecutor also told the court that Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage obtained from a shop positioned along a path leading to the suspect’s house in Kiawara slums have been forwarded to the Digital Forensic department for further analysis.
“The IOs are yet to conduct a mental assessment. For that they require an order from this court.
In line with this, we are praying for two days to enable the I.O conduct a mental assessment, we pray for the order to that effect and two days extension,” said Lang’at.
Macharia was arraigned at the Nyeri Law Courts on May 27, before Senior Principal Magistrate Faith Munyi.
The Senior Principal Magistrate ordered that he be held for 14 days to allow police to complete their investigations into the murder of Tamara, after her body was found buried in his house Kiawara slums on May 26.
In granting the prayers by the prosecution, Munyi acknowledged the progress of the investigations and ordered that Macharia, who appeared virtually, be presented to the Nyeri County Referral Hospital for a mental status assessment.
“The Investigations Officer is granted two more days to complete his investigations. The respondent shall be escorted to the County Referral Hospital for mental status assessment and report,” said the Senior Principal Magistrate.
The matter will proceed before her court for directions on Thursday June 12.
By Wangari Mwangi and Brian Mwangi
