Man who demanded Sh20 from matatu tout pleads guilty to extortion charges
A man who forcibly demanded Sh20 from a matatu conductor is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to charges of attempted extortion by threats.
Mr Stanley Thuita admitted at the Makadara Law Courts that he demanded the cash from Samuel Kanja of Forward Travelers Sacco at Mihango stage in Kayole, Nairobi threatening to beat him up on November 8.
Mr Thuita is also facing charges of conducting himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace. He is accused of using abusive language towards the sacco’s official Mr Peter Mwangi who had intervened as the accused and a mob surrounded Mr Kanja.
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Mr Thuita and others not before the court are reported to have confronted Mr Kanja demanding money from him, failure to which they threatened not to allow him to pick passengers from the stage.
During the incident, the accused and his accomplices forcibly shut the matatu’s door and prevented passengers from boarding it.
Mr Kanja and his driver called a sacco official who informed Mr Mwangi and the two proceed to the stage to find out what was happening.
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They found Mr Thuita and his accomplices and told them to stop the extortion and leave the stage but the accused became violent and started hurling insults at Mr Mwangi.
It’s at that point that Mr Mwangi called the police and officers from Kayole Police Station rushed to the scene and arrested Mr Thuita while his accomplices escaped arrest.
Mr Thuita pleaded guilty to all the charges before Resident Magistrate Mercy Thibaru. The case will be mentioned for reading of facts to the accused person before he is convicted and sentenced.