Two men have been sentenced to death after a court in Wajir found them guilty of violently robbing a boda boda rider in an incident that occurred in November 2025.

Senior Principal Magistrate Eric Malesi convicted Abdiaziz Ali Ahmed, alias “Odi,” and Abdiwahab Mohamed Hassan, alias “Steam Boy,” after ruling that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The two were charged with robbery with violence contrary to Section 295 as read with Section 296(2) of the Penal Code. Abdiaziz also faced an alternative charge of handling stolen property contrary to Section 322(1) as read with Section 322(2) of the Penal Code.

The prosecution, led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Robert Nyoro, called three witnesses and presented several exhibits linking the accused to the crime.

In his judgment, Hon. Malesi found that the witnesses’ testimonies and documentary evidence presented a watertight case against the accused, leading to their conviction.

The court heard that on the night of November 13, 2025, at about 9:30 p.m., the complainant, Nesiah Thuranira Mwenda, was operating his motorcycle along Baraza Park Road in Wajir Township when two men approached him pretending to be passengers.

Shortly afterward, about five other men emerged from a nearby corridor and surrounded him.

Armed with knives, the gang assaulted the rider, threatened to kill him, and robbed him of a Tecno Pop 8 mobile phone valued at Ksh30,000.

The attackers then forced the complainant to accompany them to an M-Pesa shop operated by Josephat Kimathi, where they demanded access to his mobile money account.

After assaulting him and forcing him to reveal his M-Pesa PIN, the gang withdrew Ksh15,000 from his account. The complainant managed to escape and alerted the M-Pesa agent not to release any more money, but the robbers had already obtained Ksh10,000 in cash.

The armed men also compelled the agent to transfer the remaining Ksh5,000 to a mobile phone number.

Investigators later established that the phone number had been registered using the identity card details of the first accused’s sister without her knowledge or involvement.

Police also recovered the complainant’s stolen mobile phone from the first accused’s mother. Although both the accused’s mother and sister declined to testify, the investigating officer presented evidence linking the accused to the robbery.

After the prosecution closed its case, both accused gave sworn testimony in their defence but did not call any witnesses.

Upon considering the evidence, the court found both men guilty of robbery with violence and convicted them.

Following mitigation, Hon. Malesi sentenced the two convicts to death as provided for under Section 296(2) of the Penal Code. The court informed the convicts of their right to appeal both the conviction and the sentence within 14 days.