Court declines to grant detectives 14 days to hold protest suspects

A Ngong court has declined to allow the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) 14 days to hold 30 suspects linked to terrorism, among other protest-related charges.

Ngong Senior Principal Magistrate Hellen Maritim, while issuing the orders, directed all the minors within the thirty-man squad to be released on a free bond and all the other adults to be released on Sh20,000 cash bail each.

"I therefore direct that all the minors be released on a free bond and all the adults be released on Sh20,000 cash bail," the magistrate ruled.

"All the adults who will be unable to pay the said cash bail will be detained at Ngong Police Station and the matter will be mentioned on June 10 for further action," she said.

The ruling came after Sergeant Susan Nyaboke filed a miscellaneous application before the court.

She told the court that the respondents were behind the injuring of some police officers who were still undergoing treatment.

"That the respondents were arrested on June 7 after their attempts to burn the police station were thwarted," the DCI told the court.

She further told the court that various witnesses were yet to be interviewed and that some officers injured by the respondents were still receiving treatment and had not recorded their statements.

The detective told the court that the respondents had destroyed a signpost belonging to Ngong Police Station and that the offences of terrorism the respondents were likely to face, among other charges, were serious.

The matter will be mentioned on Thursday, and a warrant of arrest will be issued against the respondents if they fail to turn up.