A Murang’a county executive was charged on Monday with breaking into a house and stealing equipment valued at Sh8 million and Sh130,000 in cash. Pius Macharia, the Murang’a CEC for roads, denied the charges before a Kandara magistrate’s court.
Macharia was accused of stealing goods worth Sh8 million from Isaac Chetambe in Kenol town on June 3, 2023, along with others who were not present in court. The prosecution told resident magistrate Reginald Kimeu that Macharia broke into Chetambe’s house and stole Sh130,000 in cash.
Additionally, he was accused of stealing new medical equipment intended for a hospital in Kenol town.
Among the stolen items were an echo machine valued at Sh1,800,000, a full haemogram machine worth Sh470,000, and an immuno assay analyser valued at Sh350,000. Other stolen equipment included a Sh2,570,000 Endoscopy Portable FHD Machine, a Sh700,000 portable ultrasound machine, a Sh1,200,000 ventilator machine, and a Sh280,000 ECG machine.
Macharia was arrested on June 22 in Nairobi, after which the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution approved the charges against him. He denied the charges and requested the court to release him on reasonable bail terms.
The court granted him a bond of Sh2 million and a surety of a similar amount, with an alternative cash bail of Sh800,000. The prosecution, represented by counsel Maximillar Keitany, did not oppose his request for bail.
The magistrate scheduled the case for a mention on July 15 and directed that the accused person’s counsel be provided with copies of the witness statements.
