She and three others were released on Sh200,000 bond each until December 15.
In Summary
• Millicent Kithinji is suspected to belong to a syndicate involved in the exploitation of children through prostitution and pornography.
• The prosecution said it was not through with investigations and asked to continue to be allowed to continue detaining the suspects.
A woman arrested in a Nairobi estate for “exploitation of children through prostitution and pornography” was on Thursday freed from police custody after the prosecution failed to charge her.
Millicent Kithinji was arrested two weeks ago at a house in Mountain View where she was allegedly hosting 44 teenagers from as far away as Kericho.
She, David Wambui, George Muthoni and Michael Moreka were supposed to be charged on Thursday but the police brought no charge sheet.
Police allege the suspects are part of a syndicate involved in the exploitation of children through prostitution and pornography.
The state said it was not through with investigations and needed to continue detaining them.
Magistrate Muthoni Nzibe declined to give the police more time and released them on Sh200,000 bond each until December 15 when the police will confirm whether they are through with the investigations.
Police said they confiscated 33 phones from the suspects and the teenagers and that the gadgets were still being analysed forensically.
Nzibe said the law did not allow her to continue holding the suspects as they had been in custody since November 23.
She had on Tuesday directed the police to charge them. However, there was no charge sheet when they were brought to court yesterday.
Corporal Julius Oguma asked the court not to release suspects, saying they were likely to interfere with witnesses.
“Their gadgets were taken for analysis and investigations are not yet complete. We pray for five more days for the investigation officer to conclude the investigations,” he pleaded with the court.
Kithinji’s lawyer opposed the application and accused the prosecution of not being truthful since the same request was made last week.
“All the children’s statements were taken by the Children’s Department,” the counsel said.
She said the children were released on November 23 and none of them had been recalled to record statements.
The lawyer said the police had not indicated that the children are being intimidated and that anyone had complained.
The magistrate was told that Moreka is a student and he needed to prepare for exams.
The lawyer asked the court to grant his clients either police bond or bail.
“They can report to the police every single day,” she said.
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