A trio have been charged with theft and handling stolen goods involving millions of shillings’ worth of rice.
James Mwangi Kanyi, Joseph Gitau Mbugua and Zachary Kanyeki Muthul appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Irene Thamara, where they denied the charges of the same.
Mwangi, Gitau and Kanyeki are accused that on November 10, 2025, at Simba Godown in the Shimanzi area of Mombasa County, jointly with others not before court, they stole 4,880 bags of rice, each weighing 25 kilograms, valued at Sh 15,860,000.
The court heard that the rice have been the property of Abdinaseer Hussein Rage and was being transported from Mombasa to Nairobi.
In a separate count, the three are alleged to have, on February 7, 2026, in Eastleigh area within Nairobi County, otherwise than in the course of stealing, dishonestly received and retained 460 bags of rice valued at Sh 1,610,000, knowing or having reason to believe them to be stolen goods.
The court released each of them on a bond of Sh 500,000 with an alternative cash bail of Sh 100,000 pending hearing and determination of the matter.
The matter will be mentioned on March 5, 2026.