Two separate courtrooms in Kirinyaga County were busy on Friday, as a group of 36 young people faced charges related to the nationwide anti-government protests that took place earlier in the week.
At the Gichugu Law Courts, eleven young men stood before Senior Principal Magistrate Kemuma Manyura, accused of damaging property during unrest near the Kutus Police Station on the evening of June 25. The prosecution claimed they smashed windows on the police station’s main building, broke glass panes in police housing, and tore down a section of the perimeter fence. The total cost of the damage was pegged at Ksh 70,000.
The same group also faced a second charge damaging a private vehicle, a Nissan Vanette belonging to a local woman, Leah Wairimu Muhari. The van reportedly sustained Ksh 13,000 worth of damage, including a shattered windscreen and broken side mirrors.
All 11 denied the charges. They were represented by lawyer and Kirinyaga Woman Representative Hon. Jane Njeri Maina, and were each released on Ksh 10,000 cash bail. Their case will be mentioned again on July 11.
Meanwhile, in the neighboring Kerugoya Law Courts, 25 more youths were brought before Resident Magistrate Grace Waithera, charged with taking part in what authorities termed an “unlawful assembly” during the same protest day. The group which included both men and women was accused of gathering without police permission at around 5:47 p.m. in Kerugoya town.
One of the accused admitted to taking part in the protest and was released on Ksh 3,000 cash bail. The other 24 pleaded not guilty and were granted bail ranging between Ksh 500 and Ksh 1,000 depending on individual circumstances. Their case is set for mention on July 10.
The arrests and court appearances come in the wake of countrywide demonstrations that have seen tensions rise between police and protesters, as youth-led calls for reform continue to gain momentum.
