Suspect Caught on CCTV Stealing Prosecutor’s Phone During Own Court Hearing in Kenya

The accused had attended his hearing at Kibera Law Courts before making away with the prosecutor's phone

A suspect was caught on CCTV stealing a prosecutor’s phone during his own court hearing, leaving courtroom officials stunned. The incident took place while the suspect, identified as Joseph Ombogo, was being prosecuted for a defilement case.

The crime was discovered when the prosecutor realised her phone was missing after briefly stepping out during the session. Concerned about the sudden disappearance, she alerted court officials, prompting an immediate review of the courtroom’s CCTV footage. The security team and court officials were shocked to discover that Ombogo himself had taken the phone. The footage clearly showed him pocketing the device, seemingly believing he would go unnoticed.

With solid evidence in hand, court officials and investigators launched a search for Ombogo, tracking him down to Kawangware, a residential area near the courthouse. Upon his arrest, he led law enforcement officers to his accomplice, a woman suspected of operating a phone theft syndicate.

When questioned about the incident, Ombogo insisted that he had not stolen the phone but merely picked it up. “I did not steal, I picked it. It was just there, and it was covered with some polythene papers,” he claimed. His father, however, expressed deep regret over his son’s actions, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. “I pray that the phone is found. The girl (the accomplice) that he gave the phone to is well known to him. I ask them to return the phone so I can bring it to court. Because now there are two cases, the young man will die behind bars,” he lamented.

Already facing serious charges of defilement, Ombogo now has to answer for theft as well. He and his accomplice are currently being held at the Kibera Police Station and are expected to be arraigned in court soon to face fresh charges.

In a separate 2019 case, a man charged with assault caused a stir at the Kibera Law Court by accusing a police officer of attempting to seduce his wife. He claimed that the officer had asked for her number under the guise of investigating the case. The courtroom erupted in laughter when his wife confirmed the claim. The man, who had been accused of fighting a neighbor over a clothesline, insisted that the officer had ulterior motives. However, the officer denied the allegations, stating he was only conducting investigations and argued that the accused had quarreled with women over the clothesline and was trying to shift blame.