Boda boda phone snatchers in court for theft
Two men who allegedly snatched a pedestrian’s cellphone along Gitanga road in Nairobi before speeding off on a motorcycle have been charged with theft.
Geoffrey Wamalwa Wanjala and Dennis Wachira Kariuki were arraigned before the Kibera Law Courts where they were charged with stealing a phone worth Sh15,000 belonging to Christine Ambani in Kawangware on May 27.
In the said date, Ms Ambani was walking home with a friend when they stopped by the roadside to give way to a motorcycle that was approaching from behind.
The rider who had two pillion passengers slowed down and one of the passengers snatched the phone before they sped off. But Ms Ambani met Kariuki on May 30 and raised an alarm prompting the members of the public to pounce on him.
Police officers on patrol intervened and rescued the suspect from the irate members of the public. Mr Kariuki later led the police to Mr Wanjala’s hideout.
The two suspects are reported to have confessed to the police that they sold the phone to a dealer in the area but he could not be traced. But when they arraigned at the Kibera Law Courts, the accused denied the charges before Principal Magistrate Monicah Maroro.
They were released on a cash bail of Sh25,000 and an alternative bond of Sh50,000 with an additional surety of a similar amount. The case will be mentioned on June 16, 2022 for a pretrial and fixing of hearing dates.