Edwin Mbugua told his attorney he lived with the alleged victim for four years and can’t understand why she won’t see him.
The alleged victim told prosecutors she and Mbugua move in the same circles, but said she never dated the 26-year-old Kenyan native and never lived with him.
“The defendant says he is love with the victim,” prosecutor Christine Maltby said during Mbugua’s arraignment Monday in Lowell District Court. “But she has no idea why he is targeting her,” Maltby said.
Mbugua, of 803 River Place, Apt. 235, Lowell, pleaded not guilty to charges of violation of an abuse-prevention order and trespassing after Maltby alleges Mbugua showed up at the victim’s apartment Sunday, March 23rd, banged on her door and demanded he be let inside, a violation of the harassment order she has against him.
Mbugua also has pending cases involving the same victim where he has sent her love letters. While he was jailed for violating the order, he had his newly released cellmate go to the victim’s house to deliver a message of love, prosecutors allege.
But defense attorney Peter Garrigan said his client tells him that Mbugua, who works with special-needs children, lived with the victim for four years.
Judge Thomas Brennan set bail at $2,000 cash with conditions that Mbugua stayaway from and have no contact with the victim and to stay away from the victim and her home.
Mbugua’s next court date is April 23 for a pretrial conference. – lowellsun.com/
