Westgate victim items recovered in Kenyan cop’s house

.......they were said to have only taken "bottles of drinking water as they were thirsty"

By NANCY GITONGA; The People

A senior police officer yesterday narrated to the court how he found goods stolen from victims of the Westgate terror attack in the house of his junior colleague. Spring Valley Police Station boss Michael Lemayian told Kibera senior principal magistrate Jacinta Kwena that he led a team of officers to the house of the constable where they recovered several items.

He was testifying in a case in which Benson Kihenjo is charged with stealing goods at Westgate during the September 21, 2013 terror attack at the mall. Lemayian said in the house were a blood-stained wallet,credit cards, a cheque for 1,000 of UGF Bank, cheque books, an identity card,driving licence,  three passport size photographs,  belonging to Osman Fat John and his two children. An iPhone  and 115 fake American dollars were also recovered.

Lemayian said he ordered for the search in Kihenjo’s house after a complainant alerted him of a fake currency making machine in one of the rooms. The machine is being used as an exhibit in another case. The police station boss said Kihenjo  was one of his officers who rescued people at the Westgate Shopping Mall.

“After recovering the items I arrested him and booked him at the same police station,” he said. Kihenjo has been charged that on September 2013  he was caught with a blood-stained wallet, credit cards, cheque books and identifications documents belonging to a victim of the attack. He also faces an additional charge of being in possession of   115 fake US dollars in his house.  The case was adjourned until June 17.