NAIROBI, Kenya — A Milimani court has once again postponed the long-awaited judgment in the robbery with violence case linked to the killing of former Kabete MP George Muchai and three others, extending a legal process that has spanned nearly a decade.
Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina on Tuesday adjourned the matter to January 30, 2026, citing a heavy judicial workload that prevented him from finalising the decision within the scheduled time. The judgment had initially been set for December 30, 2025, following an earlier adjournment.
“The judgment is not ready,” Magistrate Onyina told the court, explaining that despite efforts to complete it before the Christmas recess, competing demands had made it impossible to do so.
The delay prolongs uncertainty for the seven accused persons, who have been awaiting the court’s determination since closing their defence more than two months ago.
The accused, Erick Muyera, Raphael Kimani, Mustapha Kimani, Stephen Astiva, Jane Wanjiru, Margaret Njeri, and Simon Wambugu, concluded their defence in October 2025 after a trial that has seen multiple judicial changes and lengthy adjournments.
They are charged with robbery with violence in connection with the fatal attack on Muchai, his two bodyguards, and a driver along Nairobi’s Kenyatta Avenue on the night of February 6 and the early hours of February 7, 2015.
Those killed were bodyguards Samuel Kalikia and Samuel Matanta, and driver Stephen Wambugu.
According to the prosecution, the accused were part of a gang that ambushed the victims as they left a social function in the city centre. Prosecutors allege that the attackers shot the four men at close range before fleeing the scene.
The case shocked the country at the time, given Muchai’s political profile and the brazenness of the attack in the heart of Nairobi.
The state further alleges that during the incident, the accused robbed Michael Gituto of a motor vehicle and personal items valued at Sh416,000, forming the basis of the robbery with violence charge under the Penal Code. All the accused have denied the charges.
In a key ruling delivered in 2023, the court found that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against all seven suspects, placing them on their defence.
Then-trial magistrate Roseline Oganyo said the decision followed a detailed evaluation of evidence presented by 36 prosecution witnesses, including forensic, ballistic, and eyewitness testimony.
The prolonged duration of the case has drawn attention to broader concerns about delays in complex criminal trials, particularly those involving serious offences and multiple accused persons.
For the families of the victims and the accused alike, the latest postponement adds to years of legal limbo.
The January 2026 date is now expected to mark a critical turning point in one of Nairobi’s most closely followed criminal cases, with the court set to determine whether the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
