It was a reprieve for 16 Gen Z accused persons among them three high school students accused of stealing, and destruction of property valued at Sh150 million at Timba XO Club associated with Kapseret MP Oscah Sudi after they were released on bond after spending 15 days in Eldoret GK remand prison.
Fifteen of the accused persons were ordered to be released on a bond of Sh300,000 each or a cash bail of Sh200,000 by the Eldoret Principal Magistrate Cherono Kesses.
However, she directed that one of the high school students 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 10 am and it was not until 3.30pm when the magistrate made the ruling on bond application by the youths who were by the police officers during the anti- Finance Bill 2024/25 in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County.
Prosecutor Sylvester Thuo told the court the mobile phones that were retrieved from the accused person after they were arrested have since been handed back to them adding that only two phones have been retained by investigating officers.
“Your honor the investigating officers have retained the mobile phones of two accused persons out of the 16 so that they can be subjected to forensic analysis by the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit in Nairobi,” stated Thuo
He further brought to the attention of the court that they set to line up 13 prosecution witnesses against the accused persons during the trial of the case.
The magistrate ruled that the matter will come up for pre-trial on August 1.
The Gen Z were dealt a major blow last Friday when they appeared in court for plea taking after the Presiding Principal Magistrate declined to release them on bond until she gets the probation officer’s report related to the suspects.
The probation reports from the Uasin Gishu Probation Department that were presented to the Magistrate on Tuesday recommended that the majority of the youths in connection with the stealing of property at the club be released on personal bond.
Lilian Sintion, a probation officer, told the court that the majority of 16 suspects remanded at Eldoret prison pending a ruling on bond qualify to be released on personal bond. Ms Sintioni told Principal Magistrate Cheronoh Kesse that most of the suspects are students in secondary schools and colleges in Eldoret.
