Moi grandson pleads for time to clear phone theft case out of court

What you need to know:

Former president Moi, who dominated Kenyan politics for almost a quarter of a century to 2002, is hardly short of cash and is regarded as one of the wealthiest persons in Africa.
However, Mr Moi denied maintaining that he had confiscated the phones from the two but later returned them.

A grandson of retired President Daniel Arap Moi yesterday sought more time to pursue an out-of-court settlement of a Sh20,000 theft case he is facing.

This comes in the wake of talks between the accused, Mr Collins Toroitich Moi, and the complainants, his daughter May Chelimo and Betty Chebet (a friend).

Mr Toroitich’s lawyer Ochang’ Ajigo yesterday asked Chief Magistrate Josephat Kalo to allow the parties more time to dialogue. “I am requiesting for more time as my client seeks to reconcile with the complainants. I have already written to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions seeking to have the matter settled out of court,” Mr Ajigo told the court.

Mr Moi was last month charged at a Nakuru Court with stealing two cell phones belonging to his daughter and a friend.

The daughter and her friend claimed Mr Moi had stolen the gadgets from them. Mr Moi who appeared before Chief Magistrate David Kemei was accused that on July 14 , at the Showground area within Nakuru Town he stole two mobile phones worth Sh10,000 each property of Ms Chelimo (daughter) and Ms Chebet (friend).

Former president Moi, who dominated Kenyan politics for almost a quarter of a century to 2002, is hardly short of cash and is regarded as one of the wealthiest persons in Africa.

Stole the gadget

He is reported to own property across the country and abroad and has been associated with 30 major business firms in Kenya.

According to the prosecution the accused, whose father Mr Jonathan Moi is the son to the retired president stole the gadgets while on a dinner at a hotel within the showground.

However, Mr Moi denied maintaining that he had confiscated the phones from the two but later returned them.

He was released on a Sh20,000 bond with surety of a similar amount.

His lawyer, Mr Ochang’ Ajigo, also told the court that his client took the phones from the pair in order to have them concentrate on crucial discussions they were holding but later gave returned them.

Mr Moi maintained that he only took charge as a father and that the two girls might have left their phones in a taxi they used when returning home.