Hawker charged with killing of two Nairobi businessmen

A hawker who has been on the run for the last four years trying to avoid arrest has eventually been charged with killing two businessmen during an armed robbery in Nairobi.

Mr Peter Kamau Mungai, 32, who was arrested in Trans-Nzoia County by detectives and then transferred to Nairobi where the alleged offence was committed in 2014, was charged at the High Court in Milimani.

When he appeared before a Principal Magistrate Peter Ooko, the accused denied the charge filed against him by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

PISTOL

He was allegedly armed with a pistol when he committed the offence.

State prosecutor Ann Kajuju Kirimi told the court that on November 9, 2014 at Mwalim Mungai Farm within Ruai in Nairobi’s Embakasi Sub-County in the course of a violent robbery, Mr Mungai shot dead Amos Mutuma and Harrisson Muriithi.

Ms Kirimi further told the magistrate that the accused seriously injured Nelson Kamaita Kipruto.

Defence counsel Simon Mburu applied to have the accused released on bond saying the offence which the accused allegedly committed is bailable.

“I urge this court to invoke Article 49 of the Constitution which requires every suspect to be admitted to bond then pronounce his freedom,” Mr Mburu pleaded.

BOND

He also said unless there are compelling reasons advanced by the State, the suspect should not spend another day in the cells.

Ms Kirimi did not oppose the defence’s bail request.

“This case will be consolidated with another which has been fixed for hearing on February 14, 2018,” Ms Kirimi stated.

She asked the magistrate to take judicial notice that the offence with which the accused has been charged carries a mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

Mr Ooko allowed Mr Mburu’s bail application and released the accused on a Sh2 million bond.

The case will be heard from February 14, 2018.