Minor in court for stealing phone in Muthaiga
Two suspected phone snatchers intercepted while speeding off on a motorbike after allegedly snatching a mobile phone from a pedestrian in Muthaiga, Nairobi are facing charges of theft and handling stolen property.
They are Tom Khaemba and his accomplice who claimed to be a minor.
The minor was in the dock but his plea could not be recorded in the court file as his age must be ascertained before he pleads to the charges.
The two are jointly facing charges of stealing from a person contrary to section 268 (1) of the Penal Code after allegedly snatching the phone worth Sh33,000 from Norma Jepchumba on November 6, 2023.
The minor is separately facing a charge of handling stolen property after he was allegedly found with Jepchumba’s phone during the arrest after they were cornered by the police and members of the public immediately the complainant raised an alarm.
He was to be charged with dishonestly retaining the mobile phone in the course of stealing it knowing or having reasons to believe it to be stolen property in contravention of 322 (1) (2) of the Penal Code.
However, the charge was not read to him to plead. He will respond to both charges on November 11 after the age assessment report is presented in court.
Jepchumba, an employee of Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital was walking along Muthaiga road while making a call when two thugs riding on a motorbike slowed down next to her and one of them snatched the phone before they sped off.
She raised an alarm and members of the public accosted the two before police officers on patrol in the area joined them and arrested the two.
The officers recovered the mobile phone and the motorbike that the two suspects were using to get away and were escorted to the police station where the complainant and the two police officers who made the arrest recorded statements about the incident.
The suspects appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Hellen Okwani of the Makadara Law Courts.
Khaemba denied the charge against him. Both will remain in custody – Khaemba at the Nairobi Area Remand Prison and the minor at the Muthaiga police station, until November 11 when their bail and bond terms will be set after the minor’s age is determined and his plea entered.
Jepchumba made an application through an advocate to receive the mobile phone and Okwani directed that she be given the gadget but told her that she must produce it in court during the hearing of the case.
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