Eight suspects in Mawego Police Station arson case granted bail

A Nairobi court has granted bail and bond to eight men accused of burning down Mawego Police Station in Rachuonyo North, Homa Bay County, during protests on July 3. The protests were due to public outrage over the death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang in police custody.

The suspects, Kennedy Oluoch Oluoch, Nicholas Otieno, Tofiq Owiti Mohamed, Michael Omondi Opiyo, David Bill Clinton Otieno, Samuel Ouma Odhiambo, and Erick Obunga Osumba were granted cash bail of Sh50,000 each on Thursday.

The sixth accused, Robert Ouko Abala, was granted bond instead, set at Sh200,000 with two sureties of the same amount.

The eight were initially presented at the Oyugis Law Courts before their case was transferred to Nairobi.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations said the group is believed to have led a coordinated attack on the police station, which resulted in the destruction of property.

The prosecution has levelled three charges against them. “Count I: Commission of a terrorist act, contrary to Section 4(1) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). Count II: Arson, contrary to Section 332 of the Penal Code. Count III: Malicious damage to property, contrary to Section 339 of the Penal Code,” DCI stated.

All eight denied the charges.

According to detectives, the incident was part of a wider protest that turned chaotic after Ojwang’s death, with several accomplices said to still be at large.

The case will be mentioned on August 14 for a pre-trial hearing.

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