A Nairobi court has pronounced four individuals guilty of robbery with violence related to the 2015 murder of former Kabete MP George Muchai and his companions.
The defendants, identified as Eric Mungera Isabwa, Raphael Kimani Gachii, Mustafa Kimani Anyoni, and Stephen Astiva Lipopo, received convictions on three counts each of robbery with violence as the court concluded that prosecutors had proven their culpability beyond reasonable doubt.
In the judgment announced on Friday, March 13, Milimani Trial Magistrate Lukas Onyina stated that the evidence presented clearly connected the accused to multiple violent robbery cases, including the assault that resulted in Muchai and his security personnel being killed.
Magistrate Onyina clarified that victim testimonies and corroborating evidence consistently implicated the four individuals as the perpetrators, with each defendant having participated in the robberies.
The suspects were charged with murdering the MP, his two bodyguards, and others.
They also faced allegations of stealing a motor vehicle and personal belongings worth Ksh416,000.
The court observed that the first accused was identified as possessing a substantial firearm during these incidents.
Court records indicated that witnesses characterized the robbers as four strangers to the victims before the attacks, supporting the prosecution’s narrative.
The magistrate noted that evidence across various robbery cases showed strong alignment, particularly regarding the number of assailants, methods employed, and sequence of events.
Beyond the charges stemming from Muchai’s death, the court also found the men guilty on counts related to other robbery cases connected to this investigation, while one defendant was cleared due to lack of sufficient evidence.
Magistrate Onyina determined he was not present at the location, and prosecutors could not demonstrate his involvement in any of the criminal activities.
The case stems from the 2015 Nairobi attack where George Muchai, who was serving as Kabete MP at the time, and his assistants were fatally shot during a robbery.
However, sentencing for the convicted individuals is anticipated to be set at a future date after further judicial proceedings.