Image: Carolyn Booth from Pixabay
A woman who is an employee in a factory that manufactures and sells coffins has been brought to court in Nairobi for being accused of stealing coffins and coffin handles with a total cost of two hundred thousand and seven thousand shillings.
Maureen Khikani was an employee in the casket sales industry at St. Augustine's Mortuary which deals with the deceased.
Maureen Khikani, the accused was brought before the Senior Resident Magistrate of Milimani, Ben Mark Ekhubi to answer the charge of stealing two coffins and 26 handles worth Sh207,000 in total.
Maureen immediately denied the charges brought against her. The prosecution, led by Virginia Kariuki, claimed that between May 7-12, 2022, at the St. Augustine morgue located in Kenyatta Market in Nairobi County, Maureen stole two coffins worth Sh90,000.
Apart from that, she was accused of stealing 26 pieces of coffins worth Sh117,000.
According to Mrs. Kariuki, the coffins and related equipment belonged to St. Augustine's funeral home, making the allegations a case of theft from the company itself.
The defense lawyer representing Maureen asked for her release on satisfactory bail conditions.
"The defendant is a single mother and her child depends on her to take care of her," the lawyer said, adding, "release her on appropriate bail."
Explaining the constitutional right to bail for each accused, the judge granted Maureen bail set at Sh250,000 with one surety.
In addition, he offered an alternative option of cash bail of Sh100,000, accompanied by one contact person.
The case is scheduled for August 30, 2023, when pre-trial instructions will be issued.
