An Eldoret court has granted bond to 16 youth charged with stealing goods worth Sh78 million from Timba XO club, a property associated with Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, during the recent Finance Bill protests. The accused were arrested following the violent demonstrations on June 25, which resulted in looting and significant property damage at the club located in the Sukunanga area, Kesses Sub County.
The stolen goods included alcohol, electronics, furniture, kitchen equipment, and other items valued at Sh78.9 million. Additionally, the youth face charges of malicious damage to property, with the destruction of offices, CCTV equipment, and other facilities at the club totaling over Sh80 million.
After being held in remand for two weeks, the 16 suspects were released on bond by Principal Magistrate Hellen Cherono. Fifteen of the accused were granted a bond of Sh300,000 or a cash bail of Sh200,000, while one suspect, a student, was freed on a personal bond of Sh100,000.
The youth are facing six charges, including stealing, handling stolen goods, and malicious damage to property. They are accused of breaking into the Timba XO lounge, where they looted and destroyed a wide range of items, including sound equipment, foodstuffs, laptops, gas cylinders, and other valuables.
In court, their defense lawyers, including Asseso Omolo, Amazon Koech, and George Sonkule, urged the magistrate to release the suspects on lenient bond terms. Magistrate Cherono noted the right of the accused to bail and emphasized that, despite opposition from the complainant, she had considered all relevant factors before making her decision.
The case is part of a larger investigation into the violence and destruction that took place during the protests in Eldoret.