A total of 123 suspects, including 19 women, were charged in a Naivasha court with invading Naivas Supermarket and carting away goods worth over Sh70 million.
The suspects, among them 15 minors, were also accused of raiding the office of Naivasha MP Jane Kihara and a nearby hotel, causing them losses of millions of shillings.
The arraignment came as police heightened patrols in the town mainly around supermarkets while launching a search for property stolen from the supermarket.
During the attacks, a group of youths first raided the MP’s office and the adjacent hotel before heading to the supermarket where police arrested over 120 of them.
The suspects were charged virtually before Naivasha principal magistrate Juliana Nd’engeri with three counts that included stealing, malicious damage and being in possession of stolen goods.
They were charged that on June 25, 2024, in Naivasha town and with others not in court they raided the supermarket and stole and damaged property worth over Sh70 million.
The suspects, who were unrepresented, faced two other charges of raiding the MP’s office and EPCO hotel and stealing property worth over Sh30 million. They all denied the charges.
The magistrate released them on a cash bond of Sh200,000 and a surety of the same amount or a cash bail of Sh100,000, without which they would be remanded at Naivasha Remand Prison.
The case will come up for mention on July 16.
Police heightened security in the town while seeking more suspects involved in the robbery and torching of businesses.
According to Naivasha OCPD Stephen Kirui, more armed anti-riot officers drawn from Prisons and the Anti-Stock Theft Unit had been dispatched to the town.
He termed the town as peaceful, adding that they were not taking chances and had heightened patrols in and around the town.
“Over 100 suspects have already been arraigned and we are seeking the stolen goods while searching for all those involved in these criminal activities,” he said.
Source: theStars .co.ke
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