Man arraigned over claims of robbing friend Sh350,000 at gunpoint

A man is facing charges of violent robbery for allegedly luring a friend to Maringo estate in Kamukunji Sub County, Nairobi, under the pretence of showing him a car for sale at a low price before robbing him of Sh350,000 at gunpoint.

Brian Enock Nyandege, alias Abdalla, 27, was charged with robbery with violence under Section 295 of the Penal Code for allegedly robbing Wycliffe Mokaya Omwenga on September 16.

The prosecution claimed that Nyandege was armed with a Retay Falcon pistol and used actual violence against Omwenga during the alleged robbery. The suspect allegedly committed the offence jointly with three others.

The conception 

Nyandege, who hails from Ekerenyo village in Nyamira, lured Omwenga from Nakuru to Nairobi under the guise of selling him a car. Accompanied by a friend, Omwenga was directed to meet Nyandege outside the Makadara Law Courts off Jongoo Road.

Upon arrival, he encountered a bodaboda rider who claimed to have been sent by Nyandege to guide him to the meeting spot.

After being taken to an open field, Nyandege met them, and while seated in the front seat of the car, three other men suddenly appeared. Nyandege then grabbed the bag containing Omwenga's money while the other men waited outside.

A tussle ensued between Omwenga and Nyandege and the suspect allegedly drew a pistol during the commotion and left with the money after subduing the complainant.

Omwenga and his friend later saw a saloon car leaving the field and reported the matter at Jogoo Road Police Station.

The bodaboda rider sent by Nyandege was arrested and detained during the investigations but has since been released after being cleared of any involvement in the robbery. He was thereafter listed as a prosecution witness in the case.

Nyandege was then traced by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and arrested at his hideout in Mihang'o, in Embakasi East Sub County, and the pistol allegedly recovered from him.

Police say that Nyandege threw the pistol after they surrounded the building he was living in.

The law enforcers later conducted an identification parade at Buru Buru DCI offices where Nyandege was identified by Omwenga's friend.

The suspect now faces additional charges of being in possession of a firearm without holding a firearm certificate contrary to section 4 (1) as read with section 4 (3) (b) of the Firearms Act.

He also faces a charge of possession of ammunition, the Retay Falcon pistol loaded with four bullets, contrary to the same Act.

Charges against the suspect say he was armed with the pistol and the ammunition in circumstances that raised a reasonable presumption that the said items were intended to be used in a manner prejudicial to public order without a firearm certificate.

Nyandege denied all the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Agnes Mwangi of the Makadara Law Courts and claimed through an advocate that he is a student at Kisii University.

But prosecution counsel Remmy Mwandawiro told the court that there was nothing tabled in court to show that the suspect was a student.

The suspect's lawyer also said that Nyandege's mobile phone and money had been confiscated by the police, but Mwandawiro said the same had been listed as exhibits in the case, and there was an inventory showing the same.

The prosecutor urged the court to give the suspect stringent bond terms, considering the seriousness of the offence and the attendant penalty. The offence is punishable with a death sentence only.

Ms Mwangi granted the suspect a bond of Sh500,000 without an option of a cash bail. The case will be mentioned on December 16.