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Obel spent night in VIP police cells, court told
Medical researcher Arthur Obel spent a night in a VIP police cell before being charged with trying to murder a matatu driver last year.
When he was arrested on July 21, a senior CID officer at the Central Police Station told him he would not spend the night in "filthy cells", he told a Nairobi court yesterday.
Prof Obel
Prof Obel quoted the officer as having said: "All the cells here are very filthy. I will take you to Kileleshwa where we take Cabinet ministers and other VIPs who break the law."
"It was a luxurious cell which was never locked and my medical colleagues and friends visited me all night bringing in things," he said.
Prof Obel, well known for his research into Aids drugs, is accused of shooting and injuring Mr Joseph Kyalo Kioko on Tom Mboya street, Nairobi.
A pistol, a shotgun and 19 bullets were found in his Lavington and Loresho homes in Nairobi.
He was put on his defence last month for the counts of attempted murder, wounding the driver and damaging his vehicle's windscreen.
The researcher said he had been rushing home to switch off a drug-making unit when matatus blocked his exit.
He asked three matatu drivers to give him way, which they did. The fourth one refused and instead jeered at him telling him to fly over.
A group of touts formed a wall around him and he realised his life was in danger, he said, adding that he pulled out his pistol and they dispersed as the matatu sped off. He did not pull the trigger, he said. Lawyers will make final submissions tomorrow.
