Court frees fourth suspect in Ksh.50M KCB Thika bank heist

The fourth suspect in the Ksh.50 million KCB Thika bank branch heist was Wednesday released on a bond of Ksh.4 million with two sureties of a similar amount – a bond similar to the one granted to his three co-accused who were released two weeks ago.

Shem Karani Karimi was arraigned before Thika Chief Magistrate Theresia Murigi and charged with breaking into a building and stealing.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge with his lawyer John Odera applying for reasonable bail term for his client in consideration that other suspects in the case were also released on a bond. The defense counsel also requested the court to serve him with the witness statement.

State counsel Stella Oyagi told the court that they intended to consolidate the case with that of the three other suspects, hence, requested the court to give similar mention day for the case.

Karani, a student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), was also asked to deposit his passport with the court.

The suspect was trailed by undercover cops to his hide out in Mombasa over the weekend and arrested. 

The case will be mentioned on December 14, when the application for consolidation will also be determined.

The three other suspects Helford Munene Murakaru 32, Charles Mwangi Murakaru 30 and Julius Ndung’u 32 were unable to raise the bond and have since been in custody.