A boda boda rider has been charged with drugging with intent to commit an offense after money stolen from two businessmen, who were drugged at a bar in Nairobi’s Donholm estate, was traced back to his bank account.
Lewis Mutugi allegedly conspired with others to drug Leonard Mwangi and Paul Mwaura on the night of February 9 and 10, 2022, with the intention of robbing them.
In addition to the charge of drugging with intent to commit an offense, the accused is also facing an alternative charge of theft for allegedly stealing mobile phones, national identity cards, ATM cards, and money from the two victims after they were drugged.
One of the victims, Mr Mwaura, lost three ATM cards, his National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) card, a national identity card, a mobile phone valued at Sh25,000, and Sh7,000 in cash.
Moreover, a sum of Sh683,000 was fraudulently withdrawn from his accounts following the theft of his mobile phone and ATM cards, resulting in a total loss of Sh715,000.
Mwangi on the other hand lost his national identity card, two ATM cards, and two mobile phones valued at Sh45,000. He also lost Sh20,000 in cash, bringing the total value of his lost property to Sh65,000.
The two businessmen were at a bar enjoying beer when two women joined them at their table, and they continued to drink together.
They then moved to another bar and continued their merrymaking. However, the events that followed were hazy, as they woke up in their car around midday the following day, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
Despite waking up, they remained in the car and continued to sleep due to their state of dizziness.
A day later, Mwaura went to his bank and reported the loss of his cards to the bank and requested a bank statement to assess the situation.
To his shock, he discovered that Sh683,000 had been fraudulently withdrawn from one of his accounts.
Mwaura reported the matter to the police, who obtained his bank statement and discovered that the money had been transferred to two different bank accounts, one of which belonged to the accused.
The money was withdrawn in multiple transactions, revealing a clear trail of the fraudulent activity.
Police located and arrested the accused Mr Mutegi and presented him before Senior Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti at the Makadara Law Courts.
Mutugi denied the charges and was released on Sh500,000 bond with an alternative cash bail of Sh300,000.
The case is scheduled for mention on September 25, and it will be followed by the trial, which is set to begin on January 31 of the following year.
Meanwhile, the other accomplice who received the money from Mwaura’s account remains at large. The two women suspected of spiking the complainants’ drinks at the bar are also still at large and are subjects of the ongoing police investigation.
