Man freed on Sh200,000 bond after setting Probox on fire, assaulting owner

A man accused of unlawfully setting on fire a Toyota Probox and assaulting its owner has been released on a Sh200,000 bond by an Eldoret court. [Getty Images]

A man accused of willfully and unlawfully setting on fire a Toyota Probox and assaulting its owner has been released on a Sh200,000 bond by an Eldoret court.

The man is also facing other charges of being found in possession of five rolls of Cannabis Sativa (bhang) at Sinai Estate in Eldoret town.

Caleb Cheruiyot, was on Thursday arraigned before senior resident magistrate Barnaba Kiptoo where he denied all charges of setting on fire the vehicle and assaulting the owner of the vehicle.

According to the court documents, Cheruiyot is said to have burnt the vehicle and assaulted Leah Jepchumba on February 11, 2022, at Kaptait Village, soy sub-county within Uasin Gishu County.

He further denied a second count of being in possession of narcotic drugs.

The prosecution had asked the court not to release the accused on cash bail as the complainant in the case had been threatened.

The prosecution also told the court that the accused might interfere with the evidence or threaten the witnesses.

However, the court was unable to deny the accused bond due to insufficient evidence from the detectives.    

Kiptoo directed that the accused be released from police custody on a Sh200,000 bond or an alternative of cash bail of Sh200,000.

The detectives are said to have arrested the accused in his hideouts in Sinai Estate, Eldoret where he was found in possession of the rolls of bhang.

The hearing of the case is scheduled for March 28, 2022.