Pius Macharia, the County Executive for Roads in Murang’a, was arraigned on Monday, accused of breaking into a house and stealing equipment worth Sh8 million along with Sh130,000 in cash.
Macharia faced the charges at the Kandara magistrate’s court, where he denied all allegations. The court was told that Macharia, alongside unidentified accomplices, committed the offence on June 3, 2023, at Isaac Chetambe’s residence in Kenol town.
The prosecution, led by counsel Maximillar Keitany, detailed the stolen items, including medical equipment destined for a hospital in Kenol. The list included an echo machine valued at Sh1,800,000, a full haemogram machine worth Sh470,000, and an immunoassay analyser valued at Sh350,000. Additional stolen items were an endoscopy portable FHD machine worth Sh2,570,000, a portable ultrasound machine valued at Sh700,000, a ventilator machine worth Sh1,200,000, and an ECG machine worth Sh280,000.
Macharia was apprehended on June 22 in Nairobi following the approval of the charges by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution. He pleaded with the court for reasonable bail terms, which were not opposed by the prosecution.
Resident Magistrate Reginald Kimeu granted Macharia a bond of Sh2 million with a surety of the same amount or an alternative cash bail of Sh800,000. The case is set for mention on July 15, with instructions for the defense counsel to receive copies of the witness statements.