Teacher charged with murder in Embu
by GEORGE MUNENEA principal of a secondary school accused of killing a muguka farmer has been charged in Embu High Court with the murder of a muguka farmer.
The Kiamuringa Secondary School principal Kennedy Nthiga was jointly charged alongside Joseph Kariuki Ndathi, Nicholas Njeru Njue and a Nairobi businessman Alfred Nyaga Itimu with murdering Adriano Mugendi, 21, in Magacha village in Mbeere South, on December 14, 2017.
Appearing before Justice Florence Muchemi on Friday, the teacher and his co-accused denied the charge and applied to be freed on bond.
They argued that the charge they faced was bailable.
SH5,000 BOND
Justice Muchemi ordered that the accused be released on Sh500,000 bond with a surety of the same amount each until December 16, 2019 when the case will be mentioned.
The court heard that Mugendi was heading to the market in the morning to sell muguka (Khat) when he was allegedly ambushed by the suspects and hacked to death. The suspects accused Mr Mugendi of stealing the produce. His younger brother escaped with serious injuries.
Mr Mugendi’s father Njeru Mbugi insisted that the produce was from his farm.
RELEASE CLIENT
The principal's lawyer, Dancan Okwaro pleaded with the court to release his client on bond. Mr Okwaro told the court that his client will not abscond or interfere with the prosecution witnesses if freed on bond.
The other suspects also applied for bond saying they were ready to abide to the conditions of the court if released.
While releasing the suspects on bond, Justice Muchemi directed that they should remain in Kenya until the case is heard and determined.