So today we have just heard from the media that the celebrated Kenyan investigative journalist Mohammed Ali of the Jicho Pevu fame has been charged theft of a mobile phone worth Sh100,000. The KTN journalist is said to have been charged at Nairobi’s Milimani Law Courts for handling a stolen Nokia 8800 “worth Ksh 100,000”.
It is not clear if this phone is the same one lost by Najib Balala as reported in The Star newspaper. Mohammed denied the charges before Chief Magistrate Esther Maina and was freed on a Sh50,000 cash bail, according to media reports.
The charge sheet is reported to read that Mohamed stole the phone between June 14, 2011 and 6 July 2011 from Al Mana Electronics along Nairobi’s Luthuli Avenue.
Being the most respected and feared investigative journalist in Kenya, the charges looks like some kind of fix. Where Mohammed works is known so I wonder why Police took a whole year to prefer charges on him.
I am still getting more info on this but Nokia 8800 is a 2007/2008 released phone. It might cost the amount indicated yes but I still need to get to know how Mohammed Ali stole the phone. It just does not make sense. I am not saying that he is some kind of angel. Only that it is funny how the circumstances are.
They just don’t add up. His case will be heard on June 18.