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High school students are among the suspects accused of stealing and destroying Timba XO, which is linked to Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi.

Three high school students are among sixteen Gen Z accused persons aged between 17 and 24 years still being held at Eldoret GK Remand Prison since their arrest on July 26 in connection with stealing
and destruction of property valued at more than Sh150 million at Timba XO club during Anti-Finance Bill 2024/25 in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu county.

The multi-million shillings premises are located at the Annex area a few metres from Moi University School of Law along the busy Eldoret-Nakuru highway and is linked to Kapseret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi who is also a close ally of President William Ruto.

The Gen Z were dealt a major blow on Friday when they appeared in court for plea-taking after the Presiding Principal Magistrate Cherono Kesse declined to release them on bond.

The three Wareng High School students had pleaded with the magistrate to free them so that they could go back to school and continue with their studies arguing that they were suffering in remand prison.

“Your honour, we are pleading that you grant us a personal bond of KSh10,000 so that we can go back to school and continue with our studies instead of wasting away in remand prison,” pleaded the students after denying the charges facing them.

The suspects are alleged to have been in a group of protesters that raided the club in retaliation for the MP ‘Yes vote’ in support of the controversial Finance Bill 2024.

They allegedly stole and destroyed prop[1]erty at the club on June 25 during the Gen Z anti-tax bill in Eldoret town.
Their lawyer led by Asseso Omollo had made an application in court for the sus[1]pect to be released on lenient bond terms, arguing that the majority of them were high school, college and university students from various institutions in Eldoret town.

“Some of the accused are students at Wareng High School and Rift Valley Technical Training Institute. I urge this court to consider releasing them on personal bond,” Omollo told the court.

Eldoret Principal Magistrate ordered probation officers to present a pre-bail report in court to help in determining the bail for the accused by Tuesday.

She said she was hesitant to make a ruling on bond before ascertaining the status of the accused persons after lawyers representing them claimed that some of them were secondary school learners.

Probation officer Her sentiments were echoed by state counsel Jamlek Muriithi who told the court that the defence had not presented in court any documents to prove that some of the accused were students as claimed.

The probation officer who was in court promised to be ready with the report by July 9 when the matter will be mentioned.

They were charged with six charges which included stealing, handling stolen property as well malicious damage to property of Timba XO Club on June 25 during violent Gen Z demonstrations that rocked Eldoret and its environs.

The charge sheet stated that the accused together with others not before the court broke into the Timba XO lounge situated. At the Annex area in Kesses sub county along Eldoret-Nakuru highway where they engaged in felony activities which included stealing and destruction.

The court heard that during the incident the accused stole, eleven sound speakers, flat screen television sets, lighting effects, assorted food and alcoholic drinks, HP laptops, three Mark books laptops assorted computers, assorted kitchen utensils, and gas cylinders among other goods, all valued at Ksh78,896,560, being the property of Timba XO lounge.

They were also charged with a second charge of malicious damage to property which included offices, a CCTV control room, a main club store, alcohol counters, chairs, tables, glasses and assorted electronics all valued at Sh80,000,000. Part of the club was set on fire and vandalised with glasses shattered. A section of the suspects has also been charged with alternative charges of han[1]dling stolen goods