A police officer on trial over an allegedly unlicensed pistol has accused his girlfriend of setting him up, with his lawyers telling the court that a fallout between the two may have led to the charges.
The case relates to an incident on April 10, 2025, when Fred Mwela Chebai was allegedly found with an Ekol pistol in Ruaka Border Area, Kiambu County. The firearm, identified by serial number EP-16114911, is said to have been in his possession without the required licence.
Prosecutors also claim the circumstances in which the gun was held suggested it could be used in a way that threatened public order.
At the centre of the case is Grace Wanjiku Wamboi, Chebai’s girlfriend, who reported the matter to investigators and the prosecution says she came across the pistol in a shoe and later gave it to a caretaker.
But Chebai’s lawyers, Danstan Omari and Shadrack Wambui, disputed that version of events. They suggested Wamboi was already aware of the gun and alleged that the pair had a tussle over it before she handed it to the caretaker.
The defence also pointed to a strained relationship, telling the court that the two had clashed after Chebai allegedly accused Wamboi of possessing bhang.
His lawyers further claimed that a disagreement over a business they owned together could have given Wamboi a reason to implicate him.
During cross-examination, the investigating officer was unable to explain why Chebai would have wanted an illegal firearm, telling the court he did not know.
The court heard that Chebai is a serving police officer who was based at Sololo in Moyale when he was arrested aand confirmed that he was off duty when the alleged incident occurred.
The officer also testified that the pistol did not belong to the police, adding that investigators had not established where it came from.
Fred Mwela Chebai has pleaded not guilty to a charge of possessing a firearm without a valid certificate.
