A police impersonator who allegedly robbed a Ugandan national of Sh15,000 and his mobile phone worth Sh1,500 has pleaded before a Makadara court to be remanded at Soweto police station so that his family can pay the foreigner to forgive him.
Paul Wekesa Wandani, 36, was charged with robbery with violence contrary to Section 295 read with Section 296 (2) of the Penal Code where he is accused of robbing Ugandan Milton Masuba.
He is accused of robbing Masuba on 20 September and threatening him with violence during the alleged robbery, which took place in the Soweto area of Embakasi.
Masuba was walking home from work when he was approached by Wandani.
The accused allegedly introduced himself as a police officer and told the complainant that he would take him to the police station even though he sometimes killed suspects and could kill him.
The complainant asked why he was being arrested, but the suspect allegedly threatened him and asked him to hand over his phone.
Wandani also saw the cash and allegedly forcibly took the money and then ordered Masumba to leave, threatening that “if you follow me, you will know who I am”.
The complainant was bundled into a matatu but did not know where it was going. He was later bundled into another matatu before being dumped near Burma Market along Jogoo Road, where he was told where he was. The complainant went home and did not report the matter to the police out of fear.
Masuba later phoned his employer after meeting Wandani at a social venue in Soweto on 6 December and was advised to report the matter to the police.
Following the complaint, police officers arrested Wandani.
He denied the charges before Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi, who told him, “I will give you a second chance” after he pleaded to be held at the Soweto police station so that his family could negotiate with Masumba and pay him to withdraw the case against him. The case will be heard on 14 December.
