A Somali national has been charged with burglary contrary to section 304 (2) of the penal code for allegedly breaking into his ex-lover’s house and stealing assorted household items worth Ksh657, 500.

Mohamed Ali Abdulahi alias Masla allegedly broke into Zuhura Faud Mohammed’s house in Pangani Estate in Nairobi on January 30 with intent to steal.

He faced a second count of handling stolen goods after he was found with Ksh79, 000 suspected to be proceeds of crime and the items stolen from Ms. Mohammed’s house.

The court heard Ms Mohammed had securely locked her house before she left to visit her aunt. When she returned she found the house had been broken into and the items missing.

Appearing before Senior Resident Magistrate Eric Mutunga of Makadara Law Courts, the accused denied the charges.

His lawyer said the matter was a result of a lovers’ quarrel and the complainant’s items were all recovered by the police.

But the prosecution insisted an offense was committed and made an application to have the suspect denied bail owing to the fact that his nationality is not clearly established.

Corporal Hussein Hassan of Pangani police station said the suspect acquired a Kenyan national identity card in 2020 under mysterious circumstances and the same is under investigation.

The court heard that the suspect went to the USA in 2001 as a refugee together with his parents but he was later deported to Somalia in 2014 and ended up in Nairobi.

“The suspect’s nationality is questionable and how he acquired his national identity card in the year 2020 since both of his parents are US citizens. In the course of an investigation, I have established that the accused is not a Kenyan citizen,” Cpl. Hassan said in his affidavit.

Magistrate Eric Mutunga remanded the accused in custody until February 13 when he will make a ruling on his application for bond and bail.