John Matara: Suspect in Murder of Starlet Wahu Accuses Officers of Extortion, Calls Them 'Rogue'
- Drama broke out at Milimani High Court as murder suspect John Matara accused officers of abuse
- Matara, accused of murdering Starlet Wahu, claimed prison staff demanded bribes and refused to unshackle him
- The judge stepped in after the outburst by Matara, and called for formal action on the claims
TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
Tension flared at Milimani High Court after murder suspect John Matara disrupted his hearing with startling claims against prison officers.
Source: UGC
Matara, the main suspect in the killing of socialite Starlet Wahu, alleged that officers stationed at the Milimani basement had been demanding bribes from his family and punishing him when no payment was made.
During the hearing, he protested being brought before the court in handcuffs, claiming officers had refused to release him due to unpaid bribes.
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"Is it right for the proceedings to continue when I am still handcuffed?" he asked, drawing immediate attention from Justice Alexander Muteti.
Are prison officers extorting money from Matara?
Matara further accused the officers of threatening and intimidating him just before the session began.
He insisted the handcuffs were a result of harassment, not standard procedure.
“Your honour, I have been intimidated and threatened. That is why I am still cuffed by these rogue officers,” he said.
Justice Muteti appeared alarmed by the claims and sought clarification, especially on Matara’s use of the word "rogue" to describe the officers.
Matara replied, “Because they have been extorting money from my family.”
Asked to give details on the alleged extortion, Matara offered only that the officers had their own tracking methods.
"They have the records on their phones so that they can see me when we come down there," he said.
Judge reacts after Matara claims harassment by prison officers
The judge then asked whether Matara had informed his lawyer about the extortion allegations.
Matara said he had only realised the extent of the mistreatment that morning, and that the officers had warned him he would remain in cuffs unless money was paid.
Following the back-and-forth, Justice Muteti ordered the officers to unshackle Matara immediately. Once freed, Matara told the court he was now "quite okay" and ready to proceed.
Justice Muteti later addressed Matara’s lawyer, Ayora, urging him to take the allegations seriously and consider filing a formal complaint.
“These are matters touching on human rights. It is up to you to file them formally in court,” he said.
Source: Facebook
Did Matara kill Starlet Wahu?
Matara quickly became a public villain after being accused of brutally killing Nairobi socialite Starlet Wahu in a short-stay apartment.
The incident took place at Ikuuni Club, a lodging facility located in the Mukuru slums, where he had reportedly booked a room for KSh 1,000.
According to a police report, Wahu had deep cuts on her neck, suggesting she was murdered.
Matara was later found at Mbagathi Hospital, where he was receiving treatment for injuries he allegedly sustained during the altercation.
A former neighbour from KM estate told TUKO.co.ke that residents had previously forced him out due to disturbing behaviour and alleged violence towards women.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
