Erick Isabwa aka Chairman, Raphael Gachii aka Butcher, Mustafa Anyonyi, aka Musto, Stephen Lipapo aka Chokore, Jane Kamau aka Shiro, Margaret Wachiuri and Simon Gichamba were charged before the High Court on Friday but could not take plea as six of them did not have legal representation/FILE
Erick Isabwa aka Chairman, Raphael Gachii aka Butcher, Mustafa Anyonyi, aka Musto, Stephen Lipapo aka Chokore, Jane Kamau aka Shiro, Margaret Wachiuri and Simon Gichamba were charged before the High Court on Friday but could not take plea as six of them did not have legal representation.
Justice Jessie Lessit ordered they be remanded at the Lang’ata Women’s Prison, for the women, and the Industrial Area Remand Prison and be brought back to court on March 19 to allow the Deputy Registrar allocate them legal counsel as mandated by law in case of murders.
The seven were also charged before Senior Principal Magistrate Enock Cherono with three counts of robbery with violence, possession of weapons without permits and knowingly being in possession of stolen property.
These charges were however not related to the murder of Muchai, his driver and two bodyguards Police Constable Samuel Kailikia, Police Constable Samuel Matanta and Stephen Wambugu.
The alleged robberies were committed on February 6 and 7, which was when Muchai and those attached to him were killed.
On the robbery charges, Chairman, Butcher, Musto, Chokore and Gichamba stand accused of the violent robbery of three individuals; Michael Ngatia Gituto, Gladys Waithera and Irene Muthoni Wambui.
The five including Shiro are accused of robbing Gituto of a beige Nissan Sunny valued at Sh400,000 among other valuables at 10pm on February 6 along Waiyaki Way using a G3 rifle and pistols.
On February 7 Chairman, Butcher, Musto, Chokore and Gichamba are accused of the armed robbery of Waithera’s Toyota Spacio, metallic grey in colour, at Green Belt Estate in Wangige at 15 minutes past midnight.
They also robbed Wambui of a mobile phone valued at Sh15,000 and Sh600 in cash.
Chairman and Wachiuri face the added charges of being in possession of an illegal G3 rifle and ammunition when they were arrested in Kinoo on February 13.
Butcher faces similar charges as he was also found in possession of a G3 and ammunition when he was arrested in Rironi also on February 13.
Given the serial numbers of the rifles were filed off, they also stand accused of handling property they knew to be stolen.
The accused will be back before the magistrate’s court on March 23 for a mention on the robbery related charges.
Justice Lessit had found that the question of bond could only be canvassed once they’ve plead to the four counts of murder.
READ: Court opposed to ‘inordinate detention’ of Muchai suspects
They risk capital punishment on both the murder and robbery with violence charges.
Principal Magistrate Joseph Karanja on Tuesday denied a prosecution application to detain the suspects for an additional three weeks for more investigations giving it until Friday to move the case forward.
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