A manager with a stock brokerage company was on Tuesday charged with stealing over Sh23 million.

Mr Joseph Nthiga Njeru was accused of stealing Sh23,588,587.80 from NIC Capital Securities.

Mr Njeru denied before senior resident magistrate Teresia Ngugi having stolen the money.

The offence is said to have been committed on diverse dates between January 6, 2005, and July 12, 2007.

The prosecution, led by chief inspector David Wangai, said the case against the suspect will be consolidated with another scheduled for hearing on October 17, 2008.

Defence counsel Francis Njanja did not oppose consolidation of the cases. He, however, applied to have the suspect released on bond.

Ms Ngugi directed the accused to deposit a cash bail of Sh1 million.

In the same court, a forest guard was charged with sending a threatening message to his boss.

Mr Malick Wanjala Barasa is accused of having sent the message to Colonel (rtd) John Nyenjeri Kimani on August 8, 2008, in Olenguruone Forest, Molo District.

The message allegedly read: "How can de commandant earn 300,000 while his deputy earns 20,000 and de chief IP in forest salary is les dan a police constable. We will have to go de prison way."

Mr Barasa faced four charges of sending the text message. He was accused of asking recipients to send to 10 others.

Denied charges

Other forest guards who have been arraigned over the message are Elijah Maina Kiragu, Augustus Okello Omwanza and Ephrahim Muturi.

These officers denied the charges before senior principal magistrate Cecilia Githua and were granted a cash bail of Sh20,000.

Ms Ngugi released Mr Barasa on a cash bail of Sh20,000 until October 17, 2008, when he will stand trial.

The same court directed that an application seeking to prosecute the Langata police boss Patrick Mang'oli be heard on September 10, 2008.

The chairman of Wilson Mutumba Women Group Joseph Mburu Gitau claims that he was assaulted by Mr Mang'oli on June 22 and 29, 2008.