Chinese woman arrested for vandalizing, stealing Kenya Power property released on bail

Nairobi [Kenya], June 16 : A Chinese woman arrested for vandalizing and stealing Kenya Power property has been released on a cash bail of Kenyan Shilling (Sh) 1 million, The Star reported.

The Star is a daily newspaper published in Nairobi, Kenya.

The woman, Luo Minghui pleaded not guilty to the two charges when she was arraigned at Mavoko Law Courts in Machakos County on Wednesday.

She appeared before Principal Magistrate Eunice Kimaiyo. The suspect was represented in court by lawyer Cecil Miller.

Kimaiyo said: "I have applied my knowledge and charges before court, the accused person's nationality, the public interest involved in this matter and I have set the cash bail at Sh1 million, the accused person is also to deposit her passport in court."

She said she reached the bail terms on the consideration that the accused person is not Kenyan and finding a surety may be a challenge to her.

Magistrate Kimaiyo said: "I'm also informed and it has been confirmed by the prosecutor that the accused person is out on police bail of Sh 100,000 issued on June 13, 2023. That bail was issued pending police investigations. Now that the investigations are over, the court needs to look into the charge sheet and make a determination."

Kimaiyo said the matter will proceed for hearing on July 25, 2023, mention slated June 25 while a pretrial has been scheduled for June 27.

In the first charge, Minghui was charged with stealing contrary to Section 268 (1) as read with Section 275 of the penal code.

The particulars of the charge were that on diverse dates between April 30, 2023 and June 13, 2023 at an unknown place within the Republic of Kenya, jointly with others not before court, she stole 350 metres of copper valued at Sh700,000 being the property of Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO).

As per the prosecution, she was arrested on June 12, 2023 and detained at Athi River police station before she was released on Sh100,000 police cash bail.

The suspect in the second charge was accused of stealing contrary to section 268 (1) as read with Section 275 of the penal code.

The court heard that on diverse dates between April 30, 2023 and June 13, 2023 at unknown place within the Republic of Kenya, jointly with others not before court, she stole copper earthing conductors and transformer fuses valued at Sh600,000, the property of Kenya Power & Lighting Company (KPLC).

In the alternative count to count one, Minghui was charged with handling stolen goods contrary to section 322(1) (2) of the penal code.

The particulars of the count was that on June 12, 2023 at Jinxin Commercial Limited, in Athi River subcounty within Machakos County, she dishonestly received and retained 98 metres of copper wires valued at Sh196,000, the property of Kenya Electricity Transmissions Company Limited (Ketraco) knowing or having reason to believe them to be stolen goods, as per The Star.

The alternative count to count two was handling stolen goods contrary to section 322 (1) (2) of the penal code.

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