BY WILFRED AYAGA
Business man Raj Devani on Friday appeared in court weeks after he allegedly terrorized members of the public by drawing a gun at a building in Westlands, Nairobi.
Devani presented himself in court three days after being ordered to do so to plead to charges of firing his gun at Shimmers Plaza and endangering the lives of members of the public.
Prosecutor Edwin Konga told the court that on the material day, the businessman without lawful authority went to the scene of the incident armed with a baretta Pistol which he used to cause terror.
Those he is alleged to have threatened to shoot were three guards at the building Paul Ayiecho, Kennedy Waliaula and Zablon Aburi.
“He intimidated the said persons by threatening to cause them injury,” Konga informed Acting Chief Magistrate Daniel Ochenja. He claimed that the pistol was loaded with six round of ammunition.
Subsequent investigations led to his arrest before he was released on a police bond. His appearance in court has however been a cat and mouse affair with his lawyer claiming that he was ailing and could not appear in court to answer to the charges.
In the rage that ensued, Devani is also accused of damaging a glass door valued at Ksh. 200,000, the property of Cape Supplier Limited.
During yesterday’s proceeding in court, Devani appeared with his lawyer, Robinson Kigen who argued that his client should be released on bail pending the mention of the case. He also opposed a plea by the prosecutor that the business should deposit his passport with the court as he was considered a flight risk.
Kigen opposed the application arguing that an order to deposit his passport would inconvenience the businessman.
“He is a businessman who moves in an out of the country. Making him deposit his passport would paralyze his business operations,” he told the court. He instead applied to have the businessman released on bail.
The court ordered that the businessman be released on a cash bail of Sh. 150,000 or a bond of Sh. 300,000 pending hearing of the case on 20th March.
