First-year students spend the night in cold police cells after demonstrating illegally

First-year students spend the night in cold cell after participating in illegal demonstration

Several Rift Valley Technical Training Institute (RVTTI) students were yesterday charged with taking part in an illegal demonstration.

The more than 50 learners, who included first-year students, were rounded up by police from Eldoret East Police Station on Friday as they protested the killing of a colleague.

It was a rude welcome to some of the students who reported to the college only three weeks ago.

“You are all charged with taking part in a riot at RVTTI in Eldoret East contrary to Section 80 of the Penal Code,” said the prosecutor in an Eldoret court.

The students denied the charges, stating they had been arbitrarily arrested.

The college Deputy Principal in charge of Administration and Academics, James Chege, defended the students before Chief Magistrate Charles Obulutsa, saying most of them were randomly arrested.

“Most of them are first year students we admitted three weeks ago. They knew nothing about the protest by their seniors, who were demonstrating against rising insecurity around the college. I pray that the court releases them and commit to producing them whenever the court directs,” said Mr Chege.

The case will be heard on March 8. [Michael Ollinga]