Written By Joyce Nzomo
A man charged with robbery with violence, a capital offense that carries the death penalty, has shocked the court by offering to help police arrest his accomplices in a dramatic twist to a violent supermarket robbery case.
John Mureithi Kimani was arraigned before a Kiambu court on Friday, accused of violently robbing Mr. Otieno, the branch manager of Maathai Supermarket, on the morning of July 7, 2025, in Juja Township, Kiambu County.
Kimani, along with several accomplices who are still at large, is said to have attacked the victim using metal bars and other crude weapons, leaving him injured and shaken.
The group allegedly made off with a grey carpet, a pair of white Nike Air Force sneakers, blue jeans, and nine Darling hair braids, all valued at KSh 12,565.
Kimani initially pleaded guilty to the charge, but the magistrate sternly warned him that robbery with violence is a capital offence under Kenyan law and carries a mandatory death sentence. The court offered him time to reconsider his plea.
In a surprising turn, Kimani claimed that only the stolen carpet was found in his possession and insisted it had been given to him by a friend. He went further to offer his cooperation with police in tracking down the main suspects involved in the robbery.
The prosecution welcomed the development, requesting time for police to follow up on the new leads with Kimani’s assistance.
He is set to return to court on July 24, 2025, as the court awaits updates from the investigation and his final plea.
The case has sparked renewed concern over rising violent crime in Juja and the leniency of bail terms for capital offences.
