A jilted lover who is reported to have set his former girlfriend’s lover’s house on fire destroying assorted household items in Pipeline Estate within Embakasi, Nairobi, is facing charges of attempted arson in contravention of 333 (a) of the Penal Code.
Christiant Mutuku,32, is accused of attempting to set fire to the dwelling house belonging to Paul Njeri on September 21, 2023.
The court heard that Mr Mutuku had on the previous day allegedly warned Mr Njeri to expect dire consequences for marrying his girlfriend.
The suspect was also charged with assaulting and causing actual bodily injuries to his ex-girlfriend’s sister Florence Nduku Makau at her house in the same area on the same day contrary to section 251 of the Penal Code.
Man admits to vandalizing vehicle inside police station
Mr Njeri had met the accused person on his way to work and he allegedly issued threats to him.
The accused person was seen by Mr Njeri’s neighbor pouring an unknown substance at the complainant’s door before he allegedly lit the fire and took off.
On the same day, Mr Mutuku is said to have gone to Ms Makau’s house in the same area demanding to talk to her, and upon entry to the house, he allegedly threatened to set the house on fire so that they both die in the house.
Ms Makau made a distress call but Mr Mutuku allegedly brandished a panga and threatened her but she grabbed the panga from him.
She was injured on her fingers during the scuffle before her sister who is Mutuku’s ex-girlfriend and neighbours intervened and disarmed the accused person.
The members of the public apprehended Mr Mutuku and escorted him to Kware Police station together with the panga and the container that contained a substance suspected to be petrol and he was arrested.
Moments after Mr Mutuku was locked up, Mr Njeri arrived at the police station to report that his household items had been burned and he suspected him to be responsible.
The accused person denied the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti of the Makadara Law Courts. He was released on a cash bail of Sh30, 000.
The case will be mentioned on November 13 before the hearing starts on June 3 next year.
Mr Njeri’s neighbor who saw him allegedly setting the house on fire is listed as the star witness in the case alongside Ms Makau and the suspect’s ex-girlfriend.
