Patrick Gitau and Tony Kirinya in the dock at the Makadara law courts

By Gabriel Somba

Two men who allegedly broke into a telecommunication company’s plant in Nairobi,vandalised equipment and stole accessories worth Sh81.2 million, are in trouble after they were charged with interference with vandalism and handling stolen property.

They are Patrick Gitau and Tony Kirinya, who were allegedly arrested at the American Towers Corporation (ATC) Limited site in Mowlem, Njiru Sub County on August 29.

The two are now facing charges of tampering with the telecommunication plant contrary to section 32 (a) of the Kenya Information Communication Act.

They are accused of intentionally and unlawfully tempering ATC site where they allegedly stole 12 Radio Remote Unit (RRU) and 24 RRU jumper cables valued at Sh81, 285, 480 belonging to ATC.

The accused persons were also charged with handling stolen property contrary to section 322 (1) as read with section 322 (2) of the Penal Code.

“On August 29, 2025, at around 9 am, at Maisha Mowlem in Njiru sub county within Nairobi, jointly with others not before the court, otherwise in the course of stealing dishonestly retained 12 RRU and 24 RRU jumper cables valued at Sh81,285,480 property of ATC, having reason to believe it to be stolen goods,” reads the charge sheet in part.

The two denied the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Paul Rotich of Makadara law courts. Gitau and Kirinya were released on a bond of Sh20 million and an alternative cash bail of Sh10 million.

Their case will be mentioned on September 25, before the hearing starts on January 10, 2026.

The two were apprehended after vandalising the site and allegedly removing the item, and the ATC security manager was informed by a contracted technician hired to maintain the site.

The technician had been informed by a landlord that there were invaders undertaking suspicious activities at the site and the technician involved a private security firm official who responded and detained Gitau and Kirinya at the scene before police arrived.

Gitau had used a forged work permit to gain unauthorized access to the plant. He had worked for a company contracted by ATC to carry out maintenance works at the plant.

ATC is a passive telecommunications company that constructs towers and leases space to mobile network operators and modules stolen had been installed to support Telkom Kenya.