Four suspects charged with murder of University of Nairobi lecturer

FROM RIGHT: Cyrus Mutunga Masaku, Dominic Mutua Mutinda, Stephen Munyinyi Irungu and Ronald Ngala Khayumbi at the dock in Machakos law courts. They were charged with robbery with violence. PHOTO: JOHN MUIA

Four men linked to the murder of a University of Nairobi lecturer were yesterday arraigned before a Machakos court.

The suspects were charged with robbery with violence, which they all denied before Machakos Chief Magistrate Lucy Mbugua.

Cyrus Mutunga Masaku, Dominic Mutua Mutinda, Stephen Irungu and Ronald Ngala Khayumbi were charged with robbing Stephen Nzuve on December 12, 2015 at Kyakatulu village in Sengani, Kangundo sub-county in Machakos County and killing him at the time of the robbery.

The suspects were also accused of stealing laptops, mobile phones and others valuables estimated at Sh420, 000.00 from the deceased

They further denied another charge of robbing Prof Nzuve's wife Rose Nzioka of personal effects valued at Sh150, 000.

Mutinda and Khayumbi also faced another charge of being in possession of stolen laptops, mobile phones, watches and rings, among other valuables.

The chief magistrate denied the accused persons bond on grounds that they were a flight risk as argued by prosecutor Ramese Kosgey.

Mbugua directed the matter be mentioned before a Kangundo court on January 11 for further direction.

The advocate for Masaku, Joel Mbaluka, had applied that his client and the others be granted bond, saying they were not flight risk.

"My client is willing to abide by the bond terms as directed by this court and I pray that he be granted and admitted a lenient bail," said Mbaluka.

He also applied that he be supplied with copies of the statements of witnesses as he prayed for an early hearing of the matter.

The prosecutor had opposed the bond application, saying police were yet to recover the pistol used to kill the lecturer and arrest other accomplices in the matter.

Earlier on, the suspects were escorted to the Machakos Law Courts by heavily-armed police from Kangundo police division.

The court was packed to capacity as relatives and friends of both the lecturer and the suspects struggled to get a glimpse of the four suspects. There was drama outside the court as the father of the first accused took to his heels upon learning that a man he was narrating his ordeal to was a brother to the murdered lecturer.

"You mean your son is the one who killed my brother," asked the Nzuve's brother, forcing Masaku's father to take off.

In the same court a man accused of attempted murder denied the charge and was remanded until January 11, when his case will be mentioned before a Makindu court.