How policemen’s plot with guard led to abductions and robberies
A police officer who allegedly colluded with a colleague and a security guard to rob two people in Starehe, Nairobi, is facing robbery with violence charges contrary to section 296 (2) of the penal code.
Police constable Silas Onyango Okello of Kahawa Sukari police station in Nairobi was charged with violently robbing Paul Mwaniki Muchiri of Sh7,000 while armed with guns and handcuffs on March 2, 2023.
In the second similar charge, PC Okello is accused of robbing Mr Peter Mwaura of Sh132,000 at Allsops area within Starehe Sub County while armed with guns and handcuffs on March 3, 2023.
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He is accused of committing the offence jointly with another police officer and a security guard – Job Monibi who Makadara Chief Magistrate Francis Kyambia remanded after he denied the charges on Friday, March 10.
The other police officer suspected of being involved in the robbery has not been arrested.
PC Okello is accused of threatening to use violence against the complainants during the alleged robberies.
Mr Muchiri was in the Naivas area when he was stopped by Monibi, who was driving along Outering road.
Mr Monibi asked for directions to Donholm estate, and while they were talking, they were joined by two men, including one with handcuffs.
They pushed Mr Muchiri into the car and drove with him towards the Baba Dogo area.
Along the way, the suspects told Mr Muchiri that they were police officers and had arrested him for possessing bhang.
They allegedly demanded Sh100,000 to free him, failure to which they would take him to the police station.
They drove him to Umoja estate while he was calling friends to borrow money. He received Sh7,000, which the suspects allegedly forced him to withdraw and surrender to them.
They then drove back to the same spot along Outering Road and dumped him at Allsops within the Ruaraka area. He proceeded to Ruaraka Police Station, where he reported the incident.
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Meanwhile, Mr Mwaura was arrested within Kahawa Sukari by a man who handcuffed him and pushed him into a car with two occupants. The suspects drove him towards Thika Superhighway.
The three men drove him to Kiambu road and parked outside the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters. They told him they were police officers and demanded money to free him.
They then forced him to transfer the money to a mobile phone number they gave him after he received over Sh100,000 from relatives.
Thereafter, the suspects drove Mr Mwaura to Allsops area where they dumped him. He later reported the incident at Ruaraka Police Station.
Mr Monibi was arrested along Outering road on March 5, 2023, while driving the vehicle suspected to have been used in the two alleged robberies and was positively identified by the two complainants at the police station.
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He was charged at the Makadara Law Courts, where he denied the charges on Friday, March 10.
The prosecution opposed bail and bond terms for him, telling the court that there were two police officers who colluded with him during the alleged robberies and were yet to be arrested and Mr Kyambia remanded Mr Monibi until March 16, when he will rule on the bond application.
PC Okello was arrested the same day that Mr Monibi was remanded.
The cops denied the charge before Principal Magistrate Eric Mutunga of Makadara Law Courts.
Prosecution counsel Joy Kaaria opposed bail and bond terms for the suspect and told Mr Mutunga that PC Okello’s accomplice is in custody awaiting a bond ruling.
PC Okello was remanded until March 16, when the case will be mentioned before Mr Kyambia, who will set the bail and bond terms for the two suspects.
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