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Two people among them an Eldoret trader and a cereal farmer charged with pelting ODM leader Raila Odinga’s helicopter with stones three years ago have been put on their defense after an Eldoret court ruled they have a case to answer.

 In his ruling, Senior Principal Magistrate Mogire Onkoba said the prosecution had found Abednego Kemboi and Kenneth Sawe guilty of the charge to warrant his court to place them on their defence.

The two were arraigned in court in connection to malicious damage to property, willfully and unlawfully destroying an aircraft and creating disturbance in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace.

They allegedly attacked the chopper on April 1, 2022 during the burial of a prominent Eldoret farmer-cum-politician Jackson Kibor in Kabenes area in Uasin Gishu County.

Caused damage

According to the charge sheet, the two together with others not before court while on the farm of the late Kibor, unlawfully caused damage to helicopter make Euro copters-5Y-DSB white and black in colour at front windscreen and right side screen valued at Sh577, 500 the property of Youth Limited.

They were also accused of endangering the safety of passengers on the aircraft.

 When they first appeared in court on April 27, 2022, they denied the charge including two alternative charges.

Since then the court released each of the accused on a Sh300, 000 bond with similar surety.

The incident which occurred during the 2022 fiercely contested general election campaign pitting the ODM presidential torch bearer and Kenya Kwanza coalition presidential flag bearer William Ruto sparked uproar from various leaders’ countrywide.

Police attached to the directorate of criminal investigations department had arrested 17 people over the incident but later freed 15 of them.