Three men suspected of belonging to a criminal network involved in illegally unlocking M-Kopa phones before customers had cleared their loan payments have been charged with multiple counts of theft and handling stolen goods valued at sh 3.8 million.
The accused Jeremiah Njoroge Marvine Wanguno,and Victor Kimani appeared before the Milimani Law Courts, where they pleaded not guilty to five counts of stealing and handling suspected stolen items.
According to the charge sheet, on August 4, 2025, at Intermac Business Center in Nairobi, the three jointly stole six mobile phones, including Samsung A13, Samsung A12, Samsung A03s, Samsung S24, Samsung A13, and Nokia GS0, all valued at Sh 800,000, the property of M-Kopa Kenya Limited.
In a separate count, the suspects are accused of stealing three other mobile phones on the same day, a Samsung Note 20 Ultra, a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and a Samsung Note 20, all valued at Sh 1 million, belonging to Mophone Kenya Limited.
They also face an alternative charge of handling stolen goods, contrary to Section 322(1) as read with Section 322(2) of the Penal Code.
The particulars state that on August 4, 2025, at the same business centre, they dishonestly received or retained four mobile phones, including Samsung A04s, Samsung A05, and two Samsung A03s, valued at Sh 1.2 million, the property of Watu Credit, knowing or having reason to believe they were stolen.
Preliminary police investigations revealed that the trio was found with five M-Kopa phones of various models, allegedly in the process of being unlawfully unlocked. They were arrested at a shop along Tom Mboya Street following a tip-off.
Defence lawyers pleaded for lenient bail terms, arguing that the proposed Sh 1 million cash bail was excessive, and requested a pre-bail report to review the conditions.
Magistrate Dolphina Alego granted each accused person bond of Sh 2 million or an alternative cash bail of Sh 1 million.
The matter will be mentioned for pre-trial on August 27, 2025, before Court 3.
