Eldoret Court Orders Three-Day Detention for Fifteen Students Over Alleged Property Damage and Theft During Protests
Chief Magistrate Dennis Mikoyani ordered that the suspects be held at the Eldoret GK Remand Prison until their court appearance on Thursday
An Eldoret Court has permitted the police to detain fifteen university and college students for three days, following their arrest for alleged involvement in malicious damage of property, theft, and handling stolen property worth millions of shillings.
The students were apprehended by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations during last week’s protests against the contentious Finance Bill 2024/2025 in Eldoret town.
Chief Magistrate Dennis Mikoyani ordered that the suspects be held at the Eldoret GK Remand Prison until their court appearance on Thursday, when their request for release on bond will be considered.
The Magistrate’s directive was in response to an application by Corporal Ekiru Kirimoni, who sought a 21-day detention period to complete investigations into the anti-finance bill protest. Corporal Kirimoni argued,
“We are yet to record statements from prosecution witnesses, and it is not safe for the suspects to be released on bond, as their safety cannot be guaranteed.”
According to Corporal Kirimoni, the students were arrested on June 26, 2024, and held at the Langas and Kiambaa police stations in Kapsaret and Keses sub-counties, respectively. They are alleged to have broken into Timba XO Lounge, a nightclub linked to Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, while chanting anti-finance bill slogans.
The protesters reportedly stoned the multi-million-shilling premises, broke the main gate, and stole various items, including alcoholic drinks, sound systems, TV screens, laptops, computers, utensils, gas cylinders, water pumps, air conditioners, and other electronics. “The protesters also willfully and unlawfully damaged the entire CCTV control room, the main club store, alcohol counters, pool tables, and glasses, the value of which has not
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