A 40-year-old man accused of threatening a magistrate through SMS and WhatsApp messages has been denied bail.
Senior Resident Magistrate Irene Thamara ruled that the prosecution had established compelling reasons to deny Francis Kamau Karanja bond pending the hearing and determination of the case.
The prosecution told court the threats had caused the magistrate to fear for her safety, forcing her to abandon her residence and stop using her personal vehicle.
The court also heard that she occasionally visits her home due to security concerns.
Karanja was charged at the Milimani Law Courts with allegedly sending threatening messages to the magistrate, who had been assigned to hear a case in which he had an interest.
Prosecution alleged that on September 28, 2026, at about 7pm, the accused used his mobile phone to send messages to a number registered in the magistrate’s name, containing words likely to cause apprehension or fear of violence.
The messages, sent through SMS and WhatsApp, allegedly accused the magistrate of bias in the case involving Gabriel Saka and warned her to be careful, adding that the sender knew where she lived.
The accused was arrested after the magistrate reported the matter at Kibera Police Station.
Karanja pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The case will be mentioned for pre-trial on October 14, 2026.
Meanwhile, the prosecution secured five-year prison sentences for two members of the Panga Boys gang convicted of breaking into a public primary school in Lamu East and stealing construction materials worth Sh50,000.
Jaffar Mohamed alias Fai and Salim Abdallah alias Kijana were convicted of breaking into a classroom at Mtangawanda Primary School and committing a felony, contrary to Section 306(a) of the Penal Code.
Principal Prosecution Counsel Derrick Wawire presented six witnesses whose evidence Principal Magistrate Peter Wasike found consistent and credible, proving the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
The court heard that on December 26, 2025, at about 2am, the convicts broke into a classroom being used as a store and stole construction materials intended for a classroom construction project funded by the Safaricom Foundation.
The stolen items included 11 containers of Super Gloss paint, a grinder, scrapers, paintbrushes, rollers, 10 rolls of electrical installation tape and sandpaper.
The theft was discovered by the school watchman and reported by project foreman Dennis Samson Bakari at Siyu Police Post.
On December 28, court heard that the two attempted to sell the grinder to Muhsin Nadhir in Pate village, claiming they had taken it because they had not been paid for work.
Nadhir declined the offer and reported the matter to the area chief.
The following day, police officers in Faza intercepted the suspects as they boarded a matatu to Kizingitini, recovering four litres of paint, brushes, rollers and electrical tapes.
Following their arrest, the two led police to Mbui bushes, where additional stolen items concealed in sacks were recovered. The grinder was later recovered in Pate.
In their defence, the accused claimed they had been arrested while travelling to visit an aunt and had been framed by police. However, the court dismissed their claims as a mere denial, citing their possession of recently stolen property and their role in leading police to other recovered items.
Probation reports presented before sentencing described the two as violent youths with a history of terrorising residents of Lamu East and Pate and linked them to several housebreaking incidents.
Although they pleaded for leniency, saying they were breadwinners, the court found them unsuitable for non-custodial sentences and a danger to the community.
Wasike sentenced each to five years in prison, effective from their respective dates of arrest.
They were granted 14 days to appeal against their conviction and sentence.
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