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Man accused of carjacking Peter Kenneth’s wife to be detained longer


A suspected robber charged in a Nairobi court with carjacking the wife of a former presidential aspirant has been detained pending a ruling on bond.

The prosecution wants Simon Muthee Ritho kept in custody until the end of his trial after he denied robbing Anne Wanjiru Kenneth, the wife of Peter Kenneth, who was the Kenya National Congress presidential flag bearer in the 2013 general election.

Mr Muthee has been charged with violent robbery committed on August 6 at Kabagare Way in Gigiri, Nairobi.

ARMED WITH PISTOL

He is alleged to have been armed with a pistol and had threatened to “use actual violence” when he accosted the politician’s wife before taking her car valued at sh6 million.

He also took Mrs Kenneth’s personal effects including two mobile phones, rings, cash 20,000, one wristwatch,a gold necklace, a firearm license certificate and a Nakumatt smart card.

The prosecution said the value of the stolen property amounted to sh6,312,000.

“We have instructions to oppose bail on grounds that the accused person was arrested on August 8 at Malaba and is believed to have been on transit to escape to a neighbouring country,” prosecutor Celestine Aluoch said.

She said that if the suspect was released on bond he may not honour court attendance dates “as he has clearly demonstrated that he is a flight risk.”

INTERFERE WITH INVESTIGATIONS

“He may also interfere with on going investigations,’ the prosecutor said.

The presiding magistrate Daniel Ogembo has set August 26 for a ruling on whether the suspect may be released from custody on bond.

Meanwhile he directed that he be held in police custody.