Arrest warrant extended for Sh104m theft suspect

Shellomettt Kiprono Jerop, Eunice Akinyi Moi, Jackeline Minayo Kinzi, Agazina Brain Kenneth and Patrick Mwangi Njuguna who are facing charges of alleged stealing of Sh104 Million from a house belonging to Samar Alkindy. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

A magistrate’s court has extended a warrant of arrest for a man accused alongside a house help of stealing Sh104 million, jewelry, title deed and logbook worth Sh4 million after skipping court.

Kibra Law Court Magistrate Elector Riany ordered that Caleb Nagomere be produced before her even as his lawyer said he feared being tortured by the police.

Mukundi Gitau, appearing for Nagomere, said he had medical records he would not reveal until the accused appeared in person to prove he is unwell.

Asked by the magistrate whether it was a cold, the advocate replied ‘signs of a cold’.

“I am a bit in an awkward position. Not that he is evading the court. I visited the hospital he is at. The confidentiality of the hospital is such that I cannot present to the court the documents. He had indicated that he was to be here but he is not here because of the ailment. My redress is to seek a mention. Then, our office will produce the documents. It is such that it can only be given by the owner,” said Gitau.

House help Shellomett Kiprono Jerop, Agaziva Brain Kenneth, Jackline Minayo, Patrick Mwangi and Eunice Akinyi are accused of stealing from Samar Alkindy on April 29, 2022.

Samar’s lawyer Danstan Omari asked the court not to release the suspects because Samar feared for her life.

“That is not a simple business lady, her life depends on you. If you release these people, her life is in danger. There were anonymous calls and a threat to my client,” said Omari.

He also said other accused persons would abscond court. He urged the court to take into account Nagomere’s case as a reason to deny bail to the rest.

“What comes out clearly is that the accused is not admitted to hospital and is not in any prison and is not in police custody, therefore, he is intentionally refusing to come to this court and you are being told to allow him to come on Tuesday. He is taking this court contemptuously,” said Omari.

One of the accused urged the court to release him on bond or bail because Samar is in Oman, he is not a flight risk and posed no threat to her.

The case was reported by one Athunus Mutiso on behalf of Samar. It was said that investigators reached out to Samar who said the jewelry was passed on to her and was of sentimental value.

The investigator, Sergent Hellen Koech, also said that Samar explained that the money said to be in Kenya shillings (Sh4 million) and in dollars (86,000), was generational family savings.

The money and jewelry were allegedly discovered to be missing from Samar’s safe when Mutiso went to meet with contractors at her house. After getting spare keys from Samar’s sister, he and a colleague, Dickson Aseka found the main door locked but the one to the house help’s quarters was open.

Following the complaint, officers arrested four suspects and allegedly got Minayo with Sh100,000. Kiprono is said to have been arrested in Eldoret and led the officers to Kabarnet where they found Sh372,000 and 20,200 dollars.

Yesterday, Omari said that the accused persons had claimed that they gave the police the money.