NAIROBI, Kenya – The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has formally withdrawn a high-profile car theft case against renowned Nairobi businessman and Valley Road Motors proprietor Francis Ng’ang’a, his son Brandon Njoroge Ng’ang’a, and associate Robert Bundi Mugaa.
The matter was discharged under Section 87A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), allowing for the temporary suspension of the case, which remains alive and may be reinstated at a future date. Principal Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe issued the ruling on Tuesday at the Makadara Law Courts, further lifting a warrant of arrest previously issued against the trio on May 28, 2025, for failing to attend court proceedings.
“The accused persons are discharged, the orders issued on May 29, 2025, are hereby vacated,” ruled Magistrate Shikwe.
The prosecution opted for a withdrawal under Section 87A after the complainant failed to appear in court to take an oath and express disinterest in pursuing the matter.
Had the complainant done so, the court could have terminated the case under Section 204 of the CPC, which allows for final withdrawal if the complainant formally drops charges.
On the day of the withdrawal, only the lawyers representing the suspects and the complainant were present in court.
The accused were initially facing charges of conspiring to steal a luxury vehicle, specifically a Mercedes Benz S350 with registration KDS 724T, valued at KSh6.5 million, and registered under city lawyer Andrew Kiarie.
The trio also faced accusations of conspiracy to commit a felony, contrary to Section 393 of the Penal Code, and motor vehicle theft, contrary to Section 287(A).
The withdrawal comes after reports emerged that the matter had been settled out of court between the accused and the complainant. The warrant had been triggered by their absence during plea-taking, but the recent resolution prompted the ODPP to suspend proceedings.
