Four men have been charged before the Makadara Law Courts with attempting to vandalize and steal a Kenya Power transformer valued at Ksh.1.195 million.

The accused, Erick Wanjohi Ruheni, Julius Matheka Mwisa, Erick Mokaya Sagwe and Lukas Nyangau Minyonga, appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe, where they denied all the charges.

The prosecution told the court that on June 29, 2026, at Kuguru Road in Nairobi's Industrial Area, the four, jointly with others not before the court, attempted to vandalize a 100KV transformer, TX No. 151414, valued at the said amount and under the control of Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC). 

They were charged with attempting to vandalize energy installations and infrastructure contrary to Section 169(1)(b) of the Energy Act, 2019. The accused also face a second count of stealing energy equipment contrary to Section 169(1)(c) of the Energy Act. The prosecution alleges that they willfully stole the 100KV transformer belonging to Kenya Power.

In the third count, the four were charged with handling stolen energy equipment contrary to Section 169(1)(c) of the Energy Act. Prosecutors allege that they dishonestly retained the transformer, knowing or having reason to believe it had been stolen.

All four denied the charges, and the court directed that the case proceeds through the normal trial process. They were released on a bond of Ksh.1.5 million with an alternative cash bail of Ksh.350,000 each. The case will be mentioned on August 4 this year. Citizen Digital