Judiciary clarifies charges against man arrested for stealing 181Kgs of meat during Eldoret demos

Jonathan Paul Mutua, the man arrested over the June 25 looting of a club during the anti-Finance Bill 2024 demonstrations in Eldoret County is charged with breaking into a building and committing a felony, the Judiciary has stated.

Mutua was among a group of youth who broke into and looted Baniyas Club Square at Kibulgeny in Soy, Uasin Gishu County. He was arrested on June 26.

Following his arraignment on Tuesday, a section of the media reported that the man had been charged with the theft of goods worth Ksh.37 million, among them 181 kilograms of goat meat.

But in a statement later in the day, the Judiciary clarified that Mutua was charged with breaking into a building and committing a felony contrary to Section 306 (a) of the Penal Code.

“… jointly with others not before the court broke and entered into Baniyas Club Square of Fredrick Kamau and stole therein items as per the list of stolen items valued at Ksh.37, 093,690,” reads the charge sheet shared by the Judiciary on X.

Among the items listed as stolen during the loot are television screens, computers, printers, gas cylinders, chairs, a restaurant couch, utensils, food, charcoal, 108 kilograms of beef steak, 17 bags of charcoal and 12 bags of potatoes.

Mutua also faces an alternative charge of handling stolen property contrary to Section 322(1)(2) of the Penal Code.

Per the charge sheet, the suspect “dishonestly retained some sound system-related electronics” in the course of stealing.

The Judiciary added that investigations are still ongoing to bring to court the others Mutua allegedly looted alongside.