Nairobi: Two matatu crew who stole their employer’s car while it was detained at the Mwiki police station in Nairobi on Friday pleaded guilty to charges of stealing a motor vehicle contrary to section 278 (a) of the Penal Code.
The two suspects in court
Caleb Abinayo, a conductor, and his driver Kelvin Kamau Macharia were charged with stealing the 14 seater matatu worth Sh800, 000 belonging to Boniface Waithaka on May 8, 2023.
They admitted the charges before Chief Magistrate Francis Kyambia of Makadara Law Courts.
The two were to be charged with an alternative charge of handling stolen property after they were arrested with the matatu in Mai Mahiu in Nakuru County on May 11 but the same was dropped after they admitted the theft charges.
Abinayo is separately facing an alternative charge of giving false information to a person employed by the public service contrary to section 129 (b) of the penal code.
Abinayo is accused of informing police constables John Kago and his colleagues that his matatu had been stolen from the Mwiki police station yard on May 8, 2023, knowing the same was not true.
He also admitted the charge before the magistrate.
Waithaka’s vehicle had been detained at the station awaiting inspection after it was impounded by the police when Abinayo sneaked into the yard and drove the matatu out of the station.
He later returned claiming to be the owner of the vehicle and claimed it had been stolen.
Abinayo went ahead and recorded a statement with the police over the matter.
Later on, while police were investigating the theft of the matatu, Waithaka turned up at the station and reported it missing and recorded a statement with police, and produced the vehicle’s logbook.
He told the police that the matatu had a tracking device that was traced to Mai Mahiu.
Mwiki police sent a signal to colleagues countrywide to intercept the vehicle if spotted before it was impounded in the Gatarakwa area in the Mai Mahiu area where the two were arrested.
The two were remanded in custody until May 15 when the state will table evidence and exhibits in the case before the two are convicted and sentenced.
The prosecution will produce pictures of the vehicle that is lying at the Mwiki police station as exhibits in the case.
