A woman and her alleged accomplice were on Monday charged with stealing a pistol from a security officer attached to Deputy President William Ruto’s official residence in Mombasa.
Elsie Wakesho Kazungu alias Gladys Wanjala reportedly stole a Ceska pistol loaded with 15 bullets from Francis Kariuki and later sold it to Joshua Oliech in Kisauni.
Elsie and Oliech were charged with two counts of theft. According to the charge sheet, Kazungu, on December 19, 2019, “secretly stole a mobile phone valued at Sh1,200, a Ceska pistol serial number E1546 loaded with 15 bullets from the deputy president’s residence.”
The prosecution alleges that the suspects committed the offence jointly with others who are still at large.
Mr Oliech was further charged with handling stolen property. He is charged that on January 14, he dishonestly received a mobile phone knowing it was stolen.
As the story goes, in the wee hours of December 19, 2019, Kariuki picked the woman from the Housing Finance area of Moi Avenue in Mombasa.
She introduced herself as ‘Ms Stella’ and after a brief chat, the two hired a tuk-tuk that took them to the officers’ quarters at DP Ruto’s residence, where the officer was staying.
“Ms Stella allegedly requested to take a shower first,” the police investigations indicate.
While the woman was taking a shower, Mr Kariuki placed his gun under the pillow.
“It was after that when Mr Kariuki woke up, he found out that his gun and mobile phone were missing,” the investigators
State Counsel Erick Masila, however, told the court that the truth about the incident will be explained to the court when the matter comes up for a hearing.
However, according to reports, Kazungu fled after the theft but was arrested on a separate matter, charged and remanded at Shimo la Tewa Prison.
Detectives stumbled upon her at the prison from where she was rearrested last weekend for the theft of the pistol. She also led police to Oliech who allegedly bought the gun for Sh3,000.
The gun and the bullets are yet to be recovered. The suspects were freed on a Sh200,000 bond each.
