The hearing of a case where former Kebs managing director
Bernard Njiraini was charged with theft of condemned sugar worth Sh200 million resumes
today at the chief magistrate’s court in Nairobi.
Njiraini was in May 2023 charged alongside seven others with conspiracy to steal a consignment of condemned sugar.
Njiraini, suspended KRA officials Joseph Kaguru and Derrick KagKago,re charged together with Peter Mwangi, Chrispus Waithaka, Mohammed Ali, Abdi Yusuf and Pollyanne Njeri.
They were accused of conspiring to steal condemned brown sugar valued at Sh20,064,000 that was intended to be used as raw material for the distillation of industrial ethanol.
They have all denied the charges and are out on Sh400 bail each.
The hearing is scheduled to proceed before Milimani chief magistrate Lucas Onyina.
In the same court, the hearing of the robbery with violence case against suspects in the murder of former Kabete MP George Muchai will also proceed.
Those on trial are Erick Muyera Isabwa and his six co-accused Raphael Kimani, Mustapha Kimani, Stephen Astiva, Jane Wanjiru, Margaret Njeri, and Simon Wambugu.
The robberies are alleged to have occurred hours before the accused persons killed Muchai, his driver and two bodyguards in the early hours of February 7, 2015, along Kenyatta Avenue.
They are facing another charge of murder before the High Court.
Isabwa, the main suspect in both cases, has since denied the robbery with violence charges.
The suspects are expected to give their final submissions before the magistrate retires to make his judgment.
And in another court, chief magistrate Dolphina Alego will give directions in a case where a Kenyan-based Indian businessman is charged with theft of Sh356 million from a company where he worked as a director.
Honey Khatwani wants the court to release his passport so he can travel to Dubai.
The passport was deposited in court in June as part of his bond conditions after he pleaded not guilty to stealing the money from Oki General Trading Limited, where he worked as a director between 2020 and 2024.
His previous attempt to have the passport released in August was dismissed after the state argued he was a flight risk.
In the present application, prosecutor Hillary Isiakho said Khatwani has not demonstrated any material change in circumstances since the court's earlier ruling that would warrant a reconsideration or variation of the existing bail terms.
“Merely applying a different advocate does not change the substance or legal merit of the application. The invitation letter to Dubai attached to the present application does not itself constitute sufficient or compelling justification to interfere with or vary the terms previously set by the court,” the prosecutor argued.
