A guard and a waitress at Shade Villa Hotel were behind a cash heist of over half a million shillings in the hotel, a Nakuru court has heard. 

Do you have a lead on a newsworthy story? Share news tips with us here at Hivisasa!

Police Constable Erick Odhiambo on Tuesday told Senior Principal Magistrate Liz Gicheha that Moses Karanu Njagi, a security guard and Martha Waceke, a waitress at the hotel conspired to steal Sh645,000 from the hotel on May 1.

Odhiambo narrated to the court that Waceke handed the cashier's key to Karanu who later proceeded to break into the office and took the money. 

Odhiambo added that Waceke came into possession of the keys after the cashier forgot to carry them while going home. 

He further implicated Njagi when he said a CCTV camera mounted inside the hotel recorded him committing the offence. 

The officer witness further tabled Sh10,000 which he said had been recovered from Njagi's house and which is suspected to have been part of the loot. 

However Njagi insisted that the money was his and told the court he had been saving the money together with his wife.

"Cant a man like me own such money? That is money we have collectively saved together with my wife to start some business," he said. 

Njagi further asked the magistrate to direct constable Odhiambo to avail the CCTV camera recordings in court. 

The duo who denied the offence were released on a cash bail of Sh300,000 pending hearing on January 27, 2016.