By Lina Munini
The main suspect in the fatal shooting of a nightclub bouncer in Machakos Town failed to appear in court on Thursday.
Prosecutors, citing illness as the reason for his absence arrigned
his bar companion Anne Mueni Muthama as the second suspect in the case.
Mueni, wearing a hood and a mask, was presented before a Machakos Chief Magistrate Mr. J
Kituku and did not take plea.
Kennedy Mutie Mbithi, identified as the principal suspect, remained allegedly hospitalised after being taken ill with high blood pressure.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) sought additional time to complete investigations, telling the court that critical forensic processes are still pending.
Prosecutors said a postmortem examination on the body of the deceased has not yet been conducted, while firearms and ammunition recovered from the crime scene have been forwarded to Nairobi for forensic and ballistic analysis.
The DPP further told the court that DNA samples are yet to be taken from both suspects, a process delayed by Mbithi’s medical condition.
Investigators also informed the court that witness statements remain unrecorded and CCTV footage recovered from the nightclub is still undergoing analysis, necessitating continued detention of the suspects.
The prosecution suggested that Mbithi could continue receiving treatment at a private medical facility but remain under police custody at Machakos Police Station.
Defence lawyer Davidson Makau opposed the application, urging the court to limit any extension to a maximum of three days.
He argued that ballistic examinations, CCTV analysis, call data records and postmortem procedures could proceed without holding the suspects in custody.
Makau further told the court that the request to continue detaining the suspects in order to record witness statements was vague and unsupported, noting that the suspects have been in custody since December 24, when the shooting occurred.
He maintained that the prosecution could either charge the suspects or release them on bail while investigations continue, pointing out that the law allows amendments to charge sheets if new evidence emerges.
In his ruling, Justice Kituku ordered that both suspects remain in custody from the date of their arrest on December 24 and directed that the case be mentioned on January 5, 2026.
The two are suspected of killing Dominic Munuve, a bouncer at a Machakos Town nightclub, on the night of December 24, 2024. Investigators say the shooting followed an altercation in which Munuve allegedly used excessive force while ejecting the woman who was with the suspect.
Eye witnesses say the male companion of the ejected woman drew a firearm and shot the bouncer three times, killing him at the scene.
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