Seven suspects linked to the murder of Kabete MP George Muchai and his three aides are to spend eight months in remand pending hearing of their case.
The seven suspects — Erick Muyera Isabwa alias Chairman, Raphael Kimani Gachii alias Kim Butcher, Mustafa Kimani Anyonyi alias Musto, Stephen Asitiva Lipapo alias Chokore, Jane Wanjiru Kamau alias Shiro, Margaret Njeri Wachuiri and Simon Wambugu Gichamba who have been in custody appeared before Justice Jessie Lesiit after they were charged with robbery with violence last week.
High Court Judge Lesiit directed the seven to be remanded at Industrial Area and Langata Women prisons awaiting trial set to begin in late November.
The judge added that the matter will be mentioned on April 27. “I direct the accused persons to be remanded but the defence is at liberty to file their application for bail.
The case will be heard from November 23 up to December 17 except on Fridays and weekends,” Justice Lesiit said. The judge also directed the prosecution to supply the defence with all witness statements and documentary exhibits it seeks to rely on during trial.
The seven were charged with four counts in relation to the murder of the MP, his two bodyguards Samuel Kimathi Kairikia and Samuel Lekakey Matanta, and his driver Stephen Ituu Wambugu on the night of February 7 along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi in what police said was a robbery spree around the city on the fateful night.
State Counsel Catherine Mwaniki told the court that investigations are complete and urged the court to remand the suspects pending hearing and determination of their case after their lawyer sought to make an application for bail.
She said the state seeks to expedite the case and asked the matter to be allocated uninterrupted dates for trial. “We intend to call over 41 witnesses to testify in this matter once trial begins. I urge the court to take into consideration the seriousness of the offence before admitting accused persons to bail,” Mwaniki submitted.
Besides the murder charge, the seven were last week charged with violent robbery which carries a mandatory death sentence upon conviction. They however, denied 10 separate counts of robbery with violence and being in possession of firearms before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Enock Cherono who also directed that they be remanded until March 23.
The prosecution told the court that Isabwa, Gachii, Anyonyi, Lipapo, Wanjiru and Gichamba on the night of February 6 along Waiyaki way in Nairobi jointly with others not before court while armed with G3 rifle and pistols robbed Micheal Gituto his Nissan sunny car. The suspects also robbed him a gas cylinder, two mobile phones.
The court also heard that Isabwa, Gachii, Anyonyi Lipapo and Gichamba few minutes after midnight at Green belt estate in Wangige area Kiambu county they also robbed Gladys Waithera her car, a Toyota spacio, a phone, laptop and Sh1,000.
There after the suspects were also accused that on the fateful night they also robbed Irene Wambui her mobile phone and cash.
The court was told that the two on February 13 at Area 87 Kinoo within Kiambu were found in possession of a G3 rifle with seven rounds of ammunition while Gachii was found in possession of Ceska pistol at Rironi on the same day while they allegedly knew the firearms had been stolen.
