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27 in Court Over City Riots

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
NEWS
July 6, 2004
Posted to the web July 6, 2004

By Judy Ogutu
Nairobi

Twenty-Seven suspects were yesterday charged in court over the Saturday riots in the city.

The suspects, most of who are youths, denied claims that they created disturbance along Kenyatta Avenue, Uhuru Highway and the city centre by stoning motorists and erecting barriers.

Nine of them are accused of destroying six window panes at Transnational Bank, Uchumi Supermarket (Muindi Mbingu), Avis shop and Travel House, all of which were valued at Sh36,000. It is also alleged they destroyed six other window panes and three glass doors at Prudential Assurance Building, which were valued at Sh80,000.

On Saturday, violence erupted in Nairobi as the Katiba Watch lobby, demonstrators and politicians clashed with police who outlawed a rally called to press for constitutional reforms.

Rioting mobs engaged police in running battles, lit bonfires on city streets and broke into shops before they were dispersed.

Yesterday, pleas by lawyer Ojwang' Agina to have some of the suspects charged before the Children's Court, as they were below 18 years, were rejected by Chief Magistrate Aggrey Muchelule, who ordered that their ages be ascertained and records produced in court during the mention of the case.

Ojwang' asked the court to fix an early hearing date as some of the suspects were students expected to write their examinations.

All 27 were released on a bond of Sh 50,000 each, with an alternative cash bail of Sh20,000, until July 26 when the trial begins.

 
 

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