They were supposed to be good house painters and a trustworthy couple.
But that's not how it turned out.
A man and his wife were charged on Friday charged with entering a businessman’s house and stealing bed sheets, curtains, kettle cords, an egg sandwich mixer and other items worthy Sh127, 000. They also are accused of stealing Sh20,000 cash.
Maurice Mbayi and Catharine Salome denied the charges before senior resident magistrate Boaz Ombew.
The charge sheet says that on October 9 at Shima court in Kilimani area in Nairobi county they stole the items from Jafari Khalif, the brother of a businessman who had entrusted them with housepainting and had given them the house keys.
Mbayi and Salome had been trusted by their initial boss who referred them to his brother (the complainant) to paint his bedroom.
Imbayi was seen leaving the house with a black bag believed to have been used to ferry the items, the police report reads.
Salome visited the houses the following day to complete the work her husband had started and was given the keys by the complainant’s wife.
She finished the job and also made off with other items, the charge sheet shows.
On Friday they both denied the charges and said that they are people of goodwill.
Salome requested free bond so she could go home and look after their children. She said they were in dire need of their parents.
Ombewa released her on free bond and gave the husband a bond of Sh50,000 with the surety of the amount.
He directed the matter to be mentioned on October 24 and be heard on December 12.
(Edited by V. Graham)
