Livestock thieves ‘running chain of butcheries’ remanded
The four were arrested after a spate of livestock theft involving hundreds of animals.
A court in Mavoko, Machakos County, yesterday declined to free four livestock theft suspects, saying some of them had a history of jumping bail.
The suspects – Peter Muhia Njenga, David Macharia Gachora, George Wambura and Mutende Meibaku – appeared before Mavoko Principal Magistrate Bernard Kasavuli.
Court documents show that the four were arrested on January 16 alongside Seketo Hilalu, who has since been sentenced to five years in prison, after a spate of livestock theft involving hundreds of animals in Nairobi, Kajiado and Machakos counties.
The suspects are also accused of running a chain of butcheries that sold meat from stolen animals on the outskirts of Nairobi.
The four had pleaded with the court to be released on cash bail and for their mobile phones confiscated by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers returned to them.
"Your honour, my mother has been on a life supporting machine from the day I was arrested. My children are also suffering considering I am the sole breadwinner. I plead with the honourable court to release me on cash bail,” Mr Wambura said.
But the magistrate remanded the four at the Kitengela GK Prison as they await a full hearing of the case on April 13.
The magistrate explained that some of the suspects have a similar case in the same court but jumped bail after they were released.
"Some of you have a similar case in this court. Some had jumped the bail and the same might happen if the court frees you on bond. You will remain in custody until the hearing commences," Magistrate Kasavuli.
He ordered the suspects’ mobile phones to be handed over to them once the DCI completes forensic investigations.
A similar case involving the theft of 73 animals from a village in Syokimau, Mavoko sub-county, is underway in the same court.
