Sixteen Gen Z youths among them a high school student, accused of stealing and destroying property valued at more than Sh150 million at Timba XO Club, have been released on Sh300,000 bond each with an alternative cash bail of Sh200,000.
Eldoret Principal Magistrate Cheronoh Kesse released 15 of the accused persons who had spent 15 days at the Eldoret GK prison.
The magistrate also directed that the student who is aged 18 be released on a personal bond of Sh100,000.
The court was jammed with parents, relatives and friends of the accused persons from as early as 10am and it was not until 3.30pm when the magistrate made the ruling on bond application by the youths who were arrested by police officers during the anti-Finance Bill 2024 in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
The accused persons include Vincent Mosoti, Sheila Rotich, Ferdinard Lubisa, Annex Bahati, Erick Mulamba, Brian Kimeli, Martin Kabugi, Alfred Aloo, Daniel Luta and Stephen Omondi.
Others are Joshua Majimbo, Amon Kiprotich, Simatwa Moses, Brian Rotich, and Amon Lenny.
“I am guided by the High Court decision in Eldoret HCCRREV/E308/2024 - Jonathan Paul Mutua versus ODPP where Justice Reuben Wananda gave bond terms of Sh150,000 to an accused person who had been charged with theft of property worth Sh37 million,” the magistrate noted in her judgment.
She was referring to a case that led to an uproar by Kenyans after the accused was granted Sh10 million bond by the lower court, forcing the Judiciary to intervene.
“I hereby grant each of the accused persons a bond of Sh300,000 with an alternative cash bail of Sh200,000. The fifth accused person is released on a personal bond of Sh100,000,” said Kesse.
The prosecutor, Sylvester Thuo, told the court that mobile phones confiscated from the accused persons after they were arrested would be handed back to them, adding that only two phones would be retained and subjected to forensic analysis by the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit in Nairobi.
He further brought to the attention of the court that they are set to line up 13 prosecution witnesses against the accused persons during the trial of the case.
The youths denied counts of committing a felony - stealing from the club - and malicious damage to property of Timba XO club, all valued at more than Sh150 million.
The club is associated with Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi.
They were arrested after anti-government protests in Eldoret on June 25 that led to the looting and destruction of property at the famous club in the outskirts of Eldoret town.
The particulars of the charge read that during the incident, the accused stole 11 sound speakers, flat-screen televisions, lighting effects, assorted foodstuff, assorted alcoholic drinks, laptops, assorted kitchen utensils, and gas cylinders among other goods all valued at Sh78,896,560 all property of Timba XO lounge.
They also faced a second charge of malicious damage to property which included offices, CCTV control room, the main club store, alcohol counters, chairs, tables, glasses and assorted electronics all valued at Sh80 million.
A section of the suspects also faced alternative charges of handling stolen goods. The magistrate directed that the matter come up for pre-trial on August 1.
