Court dismisses charges against ex-Multimedia University student leaders over 2019 riots

A Nairobi court has dismissed all charges against seven ex-Multimedia University student leaders, among them former Kenya University Students’ Organization (KUSO) Secretary General and Vice President of the East African Students Union (EASU) Neema Sheikh Abdikadir.

The others are; Steven Ongola, Simon Adongo, Julius Kahiu, Victor Moses Omollo, Rebecca Moraa Jilo, and Lewis Ombi Ondwari.

The seven were charged with leading a protest against reckless driving in 2019 following an incident where one student was hit and killed by a bus.

According to the charge sheet, seen by Citizen Digital, they were accused of blocking Magadi Road and creating a disturbance by hurling stones at motorists and police officers.

“It emerged from the witness accounts that the students were charged up. There was no calm. None of the officers knew any of the accused persons prior to that date. The distance at which they observed the accused persons was not disclosed,” observed Magistrate Charles Mwaniki.

“In any case, it is unlikely that the focus of officers engaged in stressful running battles were on identification. There is also is no photographic or video evidence to corroborate the officers’ assertions. Therefore, the evidence relating to identification of the accused persons is weak and unreliable.”

The judge hence ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case sufficient enough to put the accused persons to their defence.

“I therefore dismiss the charges against all seven of them and hereby acquit them under Section 210 of the of the Criminal Procedure Code (CAP 75) Laws of Kenya,” he stated.