BY SAM ALFAN.
An auctioneer alleged to be behind the destruction of a multi-million home in Westlands, Nairobi has been released on a cash bail of sh200,000.
Senior Principal Magistrate Gibert Shikwe rejected the application by the police to detain Zacharia Baraza for two weeks. The police wanted him held for 14 days as they conclude investigations into the matter.
The magistrate questioned why police needed 14 days to investigate a matter, which they had already indicated in their application that they have valued destruction caused by auctioneer and a 25 group of people to be Sh70 million.
The court directed Baraza to be reporting to the Investigating officer whenever is required.
Through his lawyer Bryan Khaemba, Baraza opposed the application to be detained for 14 days and faulted the conduct of the police of arresting the suspect before conducting the investigations.
He urged the court to release the auctioneer on a cash bail of Sh20,000 pending investigations.
The officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Headquarters paraded the auctioneer in court under a miscellaneous application seeking to detain him.
Sergeant Eric Onyango said the matter was reported by Niraj Shah at Spring Valley police station.
He said the complainant maintains that Baraza led about 25 people into his family’s home at Westlands area along school lane.
They destroyed establishment on the parcel of land and stole a lot of his items.
They also vandalized and carried away with doors, windows, roofing tiles and building stones.
The investigator said the building destroyed was worth Sh70 million and the family is yet to recover stolen items.
The officer further claims he has not arrested the accomplices.
