KCB Heist suspects found with 200 ID cards and over 500 telecommunication cards.

KCB Heist suspects Shem Karani, Halford Munene, Charles Mwangi and Julius Ndung'u before the Thika Chief Magistrate Teresiah Murigi on December 14, 2017 where they faced additional charges of being in possession of stolen property.

Matters compounded for the four suspects charged with stealing Sh. 52 million from Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Thika branch last month after they were charged with additional crimes.

Shem Karani Karimi, Halford Munene Murakaru, his brother Charles Mwangi Murakaru and Julius Ndung'u Wainaina had earlier applied to have the court to review downward the Sh. 4million bond that had been slapped on each one of them after failing to raise the amount in order to secure their freedom.

However, Prosecution Counsel Stella Oyagi opposed the review saying investigations saying that the ongoing investigations had unearthed more crimes by the accused.

She informed the court that the ongoing investigations have been able to expose 200 identity cards in the possession of the accused and the prosecution was in the process of establishing their owners who were likely to become potential witnesses in the case were ongoing.

“The prosecution fears that reviewing the bail terms that will pave way for the release of the accused will lead to them interfering with the ongoing investigations,” said Oyagi.

Munene, Mwangi, Ndung’u and Karani were charged with being in possession of suspected stolen property.

Munene, Mwangi and Ndung’u were charged with being in possession of 200 identity cards, 200 orange SIM cards, 1239, MTN SIM cards, seven CPUs and 305 telecommunication authority cards suspected to be stolen property.

Karani was charged further for being in possession of three identity cards also suspected to have been stolen that were found with him in Mtwapa Mombasa where he was arrested.

While representing the first three accused Defence counsel Waithera Mwangi, requested the court to order the prosecution to furnish her with copies of the charge sheets, witness statements and all exhibits to be used against her clients so as to allow her argue her case sufficiently.

She argued that her clients hailed from a humble background and the amount of bail was way too high above their reach.

“My clients are requesting that you consider reviewing their bond term as none of them can afford such an amount. Furthermore, they are unlikely to flee as two of them are married with very young families while the third accused is currently engaged,” said Ms. Murigi.

In November this year, the accused were arraigned in the same court and charged with the theft of Sh52, 650,000 between November 18 and 20 that were in different currencies.

They were accused of stealing 95 Australian dollars, 185 Euros, 1,630 British pounds, 271,000 Tanzanian shillings, 947,000 Ugandan shillings, $5,781, five Canadian dollars and 40 South African rand.

The first three respondents were also charged with handling stolen property at Joy Land estate in Juja town, Kiambu County, they handled $1,311, Sh17 million, 340 British pounds, 3,660 Euros, five Canadian dollars, 85 Australian dollars, 40 South African Rands and 20,000 Ugandan shillings.

Thika Chief Magistrate Teresiah Murigi adjourned the case to December 20 when the pre-bail report will be tabled.