Police officers linked to Sh72 million bank robbery charged

Faith Karanja 
Two police officers linked to Sh72 million ongoing robbery probe have been charged at Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.
The two Simon Gichuhi and Caroline Njeri appeared before Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku and denied three counts of robbery with violence and damaging property charges.
The court was informed that they committed the offence on September 5 at Nairobi West shopping Center in Langata sub-county.
They are said to have been armed when they robbed G4S staffs Sh74,483,000, 38 cassettes, 13 purge bins and 13 canvas all totaling to Sh 75,947,350 and after the robbery threatened to use actual violence to the said G4S staffs.
In the second count, the two are charged with malicious damage to property against the law.
According to court papers, the accused on September 5, 2019, at Thogoto forest within Kiambu County, destroyed 36 cassettes and 11 purge bins valued at Sh 1,257,000, the property of G4S Company.
The suspects were also charged with conspiracy to rob G4S officers of Sh74, 483, 000, 38 cassettes,13 purge bins and 13 canvas bags all totaling to 75,947,350.
The prosecution is seeking to consolidate another similar matter in which Musa Rajab, Abraham Mwangi Njorong, Ascar Kemunto, Wilfred Nyambane, Natahn Njiru and Danmark Magembe have been charged in connection with the loss of Sh 72 million.
Investigating Officer Constable Joseph Ng’eno in his affidavit said that on September 5, 2019, G4S personnel who were assigned ATM restocking duties left the Headquarters off witu road with cash on transit van containing approximately Sh 72 Million.
"The said money was destined for ATM restocking within Nairobi and the suspects were accompanied with three armed AP officers designated to escort the said cash," added Ng'eno.
Ng’eno said that they have since recovered broken cash boxes and 13 bags.
Further, the gun-totting robbers went with the cash and disappeared to an unknown place.