A Nairobi woman, Sheilah Chao Mwaikwasi, is facing multiple charges of handling stolen energy equipment valued at over Ksh.1.6 million. The case, which was heard in court on Wednesday, saw several bags of high-voltage copper cables produced as prosecution evidence.
According to Investigating Officer Nicholas Ole Sina, the recovered items included components from Safaricom, Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO), and American Telecommunications. He told the court that such cables are frequently vandalised and have a street value of about Ksh.1,000 per kilogram.
Ole Sina testified that Mwaikwasi lacked a registration certificate as required by law and could not produce documentation showing the source of the cables. During cross-examination by defence lawyer Danstan Omari, the officer admitted that there was no direct documentation linking the items to KETRACO, but said a witness had identified and labelled the bags.
The officer further noted that Mwaikwasi holds a licence as an importer but failed to provide proof of where the copper originated. Through her lawyer, Mwaikwasi claimed she had legally purchased the materials from suppliers including East Africa Cables, Esco Uganda Limited, Tanaleco in Tanzania, a Chinese company, and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia. She also mentioned acquiring items from Lake Turkana and Phillips International Auctioneers.
The prosecution alleges that on January 30, 2024, along Lunga Lunga Road in Embakasi South, Mwaikwasi was found with 1,292 kilograms of high-voltage copper belonging to KETRACO, 330 kilograms linked to KPLC, 134 kilograms to KeNHA, and 139 kilograms to American Towers Corporation (ATC).
Mwaikwasi has denied all the charges, insisting she lawfully acquired the materials. Both the prosecution and defence have opted not to make any submissions, and Trial Magistrate Robinson Ondieki is set to deliver his ruling on November 17, 2025.
