Anguish and desperate cries on Wednesday rent the air outside Thika Law Courts, where 58 suspects stood behind cell gates, agitated after a bail ruling.
From inside, they pounded and pleaded, desperate to break free – freedom so close, yet heartbreakingly out of reach for them and their parents on the outside.
Despite the raw emotion pouring from both inside and out, the court’s ruling was firm: each suspect must pay a hefty bail of Ksh.100,000 or post a bond of Ksh.300,000, an impossible sum to to put together for most of the families.
Mothers threatened to undress in protest, some boarded police vehicles, vowing to accompany their children to remand as they cannot meet the impossible bail demands.
Emmah Wambui, a parent, said: “Vile nilienda police station nilimwuuliza kama mama ‘na mtoto uliiba supermarket?’ Akaniambia ‘hapana, ambia DCI wakupee CCTV wakinivuta mpaka Maathai Supermarket nikichapwa.”
Another parent, Jennifer Atieno, noted: “Alikuwa ameenda kwa duka akaniambai mum wacha nikununulie maziwa niende kwangu…akashikwa, akaniambia mum nimeshikwa… kwenda nikakuta amewekwa kwa group ya robbery.”
The charge sheet for the suspects, arrested after Saba Saba protests, was as heavy as the bail terms, facing a capital offence; robbery with violence.
Accused of serious and alleged armed robbery targeting John Okeyo Otieno, the manager of Mathai Supermarket in Juja, where goods worth more than Ksh.8.7 million were reportedly stolen during Saba Saba protests.
Emmah Wambui, a parent, said: “Dhalilisheni maskini kabisa lakini tulikuwa na watu kama Mobutu Sese Seko…Murkomen unaongea vibaya sana ukisema Ksh.50,000 ni kidogo lakini ujue hawa watu ndio waliwachagua.”
Kiritu Chege, a brother to one of the suspects, added: “Hakuna mtu hapa ako na pesa ya kutoa Ksh.100,000 na hii ni mashtaka ambayo hawana ata evidence moja kuonyesha mtu alifanya hiyo kitu.”
Apart from the robbery with violence charge, some of them are accused of damaging two police vehicles at Juja Police Station and injuring three police officers – Dorcas Cherui, Dennis Nganga, and Wallace Waithaka – at Juja Police Station, who have all formally pressed charges together with Mathai Supermaket Manager John Okeyo.
Despite the sorrow and pleas, the suspects remain in remand, unable to pay bail. Their fate now rests with the courts as they await trial, with the burden falling not only on them but also their families.
