Man gives a chilling account of robbery that shattered his life and business

Eldama Ravine

Thursday, August 3, 2023

KNA by Christopher Kiprop

Matthew Kibelion Lekupe a regular mutura customer, lacked the sense of humanity and robbed a business leaving it shattered and the owner injured.

The now maimed business owner Kelvin Kiplagat was guided by Prosecution Counsel Martha Ndung’u as he testified before Eldama Ravine Resident Magistrate Alice Towett of how he was attacked at his butchery and left for the dead by Lekupe and his accomplice.

Kiplagat had been the owner of Highlands butchery which was located at Mogotio town for more than five years, but on Sunday, March 12, 2023, all his efforts got terminated in less than five hours.

The business comprised of a butchery which Kiplagat manned and an eatery manned by some employees.

“I sold all the meat stock I had that day by1800hrs and thus I decided to go at a nearby movie shop to watch a football match. I left my employee running the eatery and I went back at around 2130hrs,” Kiplagat narrated.

The business man told the court that on that fateful night, he closed the butchery at 2200hrs and the workers left as he retired to one of the rooms in the butchery where he used to sleep.

“At around 0100hrs, I was woken up by a loud bang and I went to look around where the sound emanated from. I heard some commotions and some sorts of knocks on the door of the kitchen,” Kiplagat continued his narration.

He said he thought they were late customers looking for food and instructed them to use the front door which they, upon opening, he saw two masked men, one short and another one taller.

“I asked them how I could help them and the short one replied that they wanted all the money I had. I told them they were not acting fair because they want to reap where they have not sown,” narrated Kiplagat.

He wondered that they had never gone to ask him for a job and he denied them asking them why they wanted to rob him.

“After I asked this, the shorter one went past me to the counter while the taller started to hit me with a mace on the shoulders. The one who moved to the counter opened it and took some Sh 12,000 that was inside the counter and a mobile phone an Itel model worth Sh1,500,” Kiplagat told the attentive court.

He added that one of the attackers give him the phone and ordered him to send all the money that was on the till account but he resisted upon which he took the phone from him and reached out to his trousers pocket where he removed some money whose exact amount he was unsure.

“Followings these struggles, the mask that the shorter one had worn fell from his face and I recognised him as one of a regular mutura customer and I called him by his name. On seeing that I knew him, he took a panga and cut me on my left ear and then cut my left eye,” said Kiplagat while struggling with pain.

The attackers raised the panga to cut again of which he tried to prevent with his hand and got cut on his right hand at the wrist.

“I was also cut on my right shoulder. I took a utensil rack with my left hand that was on the counter and tried to hit him but he cut me on my left leg and I collapsed. At this time, I was left for the dead, bleeding from the cuts. I crawled to get outside and on reaching outside near the road, I got unconscious,” narrated the victim.

He told the court that he woke up in hospital where he was admitted for three months, and that he was still under medication.

“My business came to an end making me go back to my parents. I am unable to cater the needs of my two kids who are below five years. I cannot work for I am weak and my right hand cannot hold anything,” Kelvin lamented.

The Prosecution Counsel presented the P3 form, treatment sheet, photos of injured Kelvin to the court and prayed the court to deny bond to the accused owing to the nature of the offense.

The magistrate on her ruling denied the accused bond terms and set the hearing date to be on September 13, 2023.

Lekupe who is facing robbery with violence was arrested as he was identified by the victim and he has never revealed the identity of his accomplice.

Courtesy ; K. N. A