Matatu driver, house help charged with robbery and murder of student

Boniface Thura (left) and Nachet Njoki when they appeared at a Kerugoya court facing a charge of robbery with violence before killing a form three student Ben Gacoki. [BY Munene Kamau/standard Date: Dec.19/2017]

A house help and a matatu driver have been charged with violently robbing a secondary school teacher and killing his 16-year-old son.

Nachet Njoki and Boniface Thura were arraigned before Kerugoya Chief Magistrate Samuel Soita and charged with robbery at Kaitheri Estate in Kerugoya Township that resulted in the death of Ben Gachoki, a Form Three student. They both denied committing the offences.

State Prosecutor Beatrice Muthoni told the court that on the night of November 18, 2017, Njoki and Thura, together with others, and while armed with crude weapons, violently robbed John Gacoki of an assortment of electronics, a car battery, two gas cylinders and a smart phone all valued at Sh92,500 and during which time they killed Gachoki.

They were, however, denied bail after the prosecution opposed their application.

Muthoni, while objecting the application, told the court investigations were still going on with high possibilities of arresting more suspects.

“If the two are released on bond, they are likely to interfere with the investigations since we are still looking for more suspects,” Muthoni told the court.

The magistrate ordered that the accused be remanded until January 2, next year, when the court will renew their application for bail.

The deceased was a Form Three student at Meru School while his father is a teacher at Kiburia Girls High School.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested a barmaid alleged to have defiled a 16-year-old school boy at Kwanduambogo village in Mbeere North sub-county last week.

The 30-year-old woman invited the minor to her house on Jamhuri Day and locked him there until Sunday when the police stormed the house, according to the boy’s father.

The father said he had been looking for the whereabouts of the boy until he was informed by the barmaid’s neighbours that she was cohabiting with the boy in her house.

“I was stunned and disturbed by the discovery. I informed police who went to the house and arrested the suspect and my son,” he said.

Further investigations

Confirming the incident, Riandu Chief John Makenge said the woman was being held at Siakago Police Station as the police carried out further investigations.

Makenge said the boy would be counselled and be assisted to resume school in Form Two.

He said cases of defilement were on the rise in the area, mostly involving older men engaging in sexual relations with underage girls.