Man pleads guilty to rioting during Azimio protests
A man who was arrested while barricading a section of the Outering road at the Tassia stage in Nairobi during protests called by Azimio leader Raila Odinga has pleaded guilty to charges of taking part in a riot contrary to section 80 of the penal code.
Lilyvans Omondi Chaka was charged with taking part in a riot jointly with others by barricading the highway with tyres and stones on March 27.
This raised the number of Mr Odinga’s supporters charged with taking part in riots to 86.
The court heard that authorities received information that young men were gathering within Tassia and Mukuru kwa Njenga slums.
The youths were gathering to engage in the opposition protests.
The protesters blocked the Donholm Roundabout and another group was proceeding to Tassia stage along Outering road at around 3pm to erect another roadblock and lit fires.
The officers rushed to the scene and upon arrival, the rioters started hurling stones at them.
The officers arrested Mr. Chaka who was preparing to set tyres on fire.
He was escorted to Embakasi police station where the DCI conducted investigations and proposed charges against him.
The suspect pleaded guilty to the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Agnes Mwangi.
Three police officers had been listed as witnesses in the case but only the facts of the case will be read out to the suspect, therefore, they will not be required to testify.
Mr Chaka was remanded in custody until April 13 when he will be sentenced.
More than 70 supporters of Mr Odinga rounded up in Nairobi’s Eastlands areas on Monday were on Tuesday charged at the same court with taking part in unlawful processions.
Five of them were jailed for a period of 30 days with an option of paying a fine of Sh500 after they pleaded guilty to the charges before Chief Magistrate Francis Kyambia.
The rest denied the charges and Kyambia released them on a bond of Sh2000 with a surety of similar amount and an alternative cash bail of Sh1000. The cases will be mentioned on April 12th.
Most of the suspected rioters were arrested in Mathare slums, Ruaraka, Kariobangi and Huruma.
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