PHOTO CAPTION: Auctioneer Zachariah Baraza
Auctioneer Zachariah Baraza has been charged with robbery with violence for allegedly demolishing and vandalizing a house belonging to an Asian Couple in Westlands.
Baraza appeared at the Milimani law Courts before Chief Magistrate Wendy Micheni where he was charged with two counts of robbery with violence and malicious damage to property .
Baraza of Siuma Auctioneers was arrested following complaints raised by the Asian family for violently evicting them from their home in Westlands.
The complainant Niraj Shah said that Baraza led 25 people to their family home in the Westlands area and destroyed establishments in the said area.
He was charged that on 4th November in Westlands lane area jointly with others not before Court he robbed Niraj Shah and Avani Shah of their electronic appliances, jewelry and assorted goods valued at Sh18 million and that immediately before the time of such of stealing, he threatened to use force and violence on the couple.
The embattled auctioneer also faced another count of malicious damage to property where he was accused that on the same date with others not in court, he willfully and unlawfully damaged a house valued at Sh200 million on the property of Batuk Lalji Shah.
He pleaded not guilty and was freed on a cash bail of Sh2million or a bond of Sh5million.
Baraza is also facing another hurdle at the High Court, which is set to issue a ruling on when whether he will be sentenced to a jail term for contempt of Court.
Justice Oscar Angote is tomorrow expected to rule on whether his Court has jurisdiction to commit him to civil jail for disobeying a Court order.
His lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru, had argued that the civil Court headed by Angote court lacked jurisdiction, adding that calling for the file from another judicial officer was unconstitutional.
The National Association of Kenya Auctioneers have asked the court to suspend its earlier decision that found Baraza in contempt of court.
Last week he failed to show up in Court after his lawyers told Court that he was unwell.
The DCI said they have since established that buildings on the parcel of land were extensively vandalized and losses incurred amounted to Sh70 million.
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