Eldoret, Kenya: A pastor was on Wednesday charged before an Eldoret court with 14 counts of criminal offences.
Christopher Kibet Ngelechei, a pastor with the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church, was accused of robbery with violence and defrauding a bank.
In one of the counts, Kibet was charged with being in possession of a firearm and used it to commit felony contrary to section 308(1) of the penal code.
The court heard that on June 22, 2012 in Eldoret West Estate, Mr. Kibet jointly with others before court was found armed with a pistol in circumstances that indicated they had intent to commit robbery with violence.
The court also heard that on the same day, the accused jointly with others before court held the firearm in circumstances, which raised reasonable presumption that it was intended to be used for purposes prejudicial to public order.
Mr Kibet is also charged with stealing two mobile phones belonging to Moses Onyapidi both valued at Sh9,000 before applying actual violence to commit the act.
Kibet was also accused of obtaining Sh1.142 million from Barclays Bank on April 13, 2011 by falsely pretending that he was in a position to pay for it in loan form, a fact that was proved to be false.
He also faces another count of forging a Barclays bank forms at the bank’s Eldoret branch with intent to defraud it a second time.
In these forgery accusations Kibet was accused of using an alias, Peter Lochakapong, using the name to commit various other criminal offences contained in the charge sheet.
The offences included making a false document named Teachers’ Service Commission Payslip number TSC349995 in the name of Peter Lochakapong purporting it to be a genuine document issued by TSC.
The forgery, according to the prosecution, was intended to further defraud the bank.
The accused, through Lawyer John Nyandoro, applied to be released on bond but his application was rejected by the prosecution based on the gravity and number of criminal counts against him.
Eldoret Chief Magistrate Charles Mbogo consented to the opposition by the prosecution and remanded the accused at the Eldoret G.K Prison.
“The accused has in the past committed a series of criminal activities and even appeared before a Kitale Court for similar offences. The prosecution is therefore justified beyond reasonable doubt to remand him,” said the Chief Magistrate.
While quoting article 49 clause 1 paragraph H of the constitution, the Chief Magistrate said the accused could not be admitted to bond and that offering surety could be a fault.
The case will be mentioned on May 22 while hearing is set for June 19, 2013.
Source:standardmedia.co.ke
