Man accused of sending SMS to family of three slain brothers arraigned in court

NAKURU, KENYA: A suspect accused of sending short text messages to the family of three Nakuru slain brothers and demanding ransom of sh500, 000 has been arraigned in court and charged with an offence of attempt to extort money by threats.
Charles Njuguna Chege alias Dennis Waweru who appeared before Nakuru Chief Magistrate Josephat Kalo on Wednesday is facing three charges.
Chege is alleged on January 24, 2017 in Nakuru having knowledge of written contents from outlawed Mungiki sect "we Mungiki are the ones who have kidnapped, now you will like, send the money or we kill" from a Safaricom line.
It is alleged that he intended to extort the money from Manaseh Ndirangu the father to the three brothers-Daniel Ndirangu, 31, Mwai Ndirangu, 24, and Paul Ndirangu, 26.
Chege allegedly sent another text on January 25, 2017 at 11:51 to Ndirangu informing him that if they don't send the money they will receive the bodies. The charge sheet indicated that there was a third message stating that they Mungiki will inform them where to collect the bodies.
A covering report filed in court indicated that the three left their home in Barnabas on January 18, 2017 for Barnabas Centre where they were headed to register as voters but never came back.
Efforts by their families and friends to trace them however bored no fruits forcing the family members to report their disappearance at Mwariki Police Station eight days after their disappearance.
The family further reported the incident at Nakuru Criminal Investigations Offices and the media after receiving the threatening text messages from an unknown number demanding the sh500, 000 ransoms failure to which their sons will be executed.
Ndirangu is alleged in the report to have tried engaging the 'Mungiki' and pleaded for the release of his sons but to no avail.
In the report the father is said to have informed the accused that he had sh100, 000 with him and needed more time to look for the balance.
"The father engaged them (the alleged Mungiki) and informed them that he had sh100, 000 and needed more time to look for balance as he wanted his sons released" read part of the report.
CID officers from Nakuru had informed the family that they had traced the number at Salgaa Centre along Nakuru-Eldoret Highway and were looking for means to arrest him.
Chege was arrested on February 29, 2017 in Narok by a homicide team dispatched by the Director of Criminal Investigation Ndegwa Muhoro to probe the foul murder.
At the time of his arrest it is alleged that he was in possession of three mobile phones.
He however denied the charges and was released on sh100, 000 bond as he awaits the court to set a hearing date of his case.
Ndirangu said the accused person is not familiar to any family member.
Ndirangu, Paul and Mwai disappeared alongside their cousin Francis Kariuki, 26 and their bodies were found at Kamei Forest in Thika having deep cuts on the head, the eyes were gouged out and the hands were tied.