A businesswoman has been charged before a Kibera court with stealing items valued at Sh933,500 and damaging property worth Sh325,000.
According to the charge sheet, Mary Waithira Gikonyo appeared before Principal Magistrate Agnetta Ogonda, where she denied two counts, stealing and malicious damage to property.
In the first count, the prosecution alleges that on March 22, 2025, along Kumbe Road in Hardy, Lang’ata Sub-county, Nairobi, jointly with others not before the court, Gikonyo willfully and unlawfully damaged property belonging to Eric Munene.
The damaged property is said to include a main gate, a house door, window panes, and a CCTV camera, all valued at Sh325,000. The charge is brought under Section 339(1) of the Penal Code, which deals with malicious damage to property.
In the second count, Gikonyo is accused of stealing one gold jewellery watch (casino), one iPhone 14, one Samsung video camera, three HP laptops, two PlayStations, and one wall clock, all valued at Sh933,500 and allegedly belonging to Munene. The charge is contrary to Section 268(1) as read with Section 275 of the Penal Code.
Through her lawyer, John Swaka, Gikonyo asked the court to grant lenient bond terms, saying she was not a flight risk and was willing to comply with any conditions imposed.
“I pray for lenient bail terms considering that the accused is not a flight risk and is willing to comply with the conditions set by this court,” Swaka submitted.
However, State Prosecutor Ismail Jama opposed the application, arguing that the accused might interfere with ongoing investigations since the police were still tracing the missing items.
“I request the court to deny bail to the accused because the investigating officer is still in the process of tracing the stolen items, and the accused may interfere with investigations,” Jama said, adding that bail may be denied if compelling reasons are presented.
After hearing both sides, Magistrate Ogonda ruled that bail is a constitutional right that can only be denied on valid grounds.
“I have considered the applications by both the prosecution and the defence. I hereby grant the accused person cash bail of Sh50,000 with one contact person,” she ruled.
The court further directed that the accused should not communicate directly with the investigating officer, either in person or through text messages, except through her lawyer.
The case will be mentioned on November 27, 2025, for pre-trial and further directions.
