Seventeen people linked to the April 1, 2022, stoning of Raila Odinga’s chopper in Kabenes, Soy Sub County, Uasin Gishu are expected to return to court today.
The seventeen were first presented in court on April 4, 2022, but did not take a plea, as the prosecution requested to be allowed to detain them for 14 more days to finalize with their investigations.
In filling their application, the prosecution noted that they were yet to get witness statements, and that investigations were also ongoing with other potential suspects.
The prosecution also told the court that should the suspects be released on bail, they were likely to abscond court as some of them have no known place of residence and would interfere with witnesses.
A lawyer representing the suspects however objected the application insisting that all the arrested were locals within Soy Sub County.
“There parents are here and the submission that some of them were ferried from outside the county is not correct,” the lawyer Titus Bitok told the court.
An Eldoret Senior Resident Magistrate granted the police only 10 working days to conclude their probe.
She directed that mention for the case be on Wednesday, April 13, 2022.
The seventeen are facing charges of attempted murder, destruction of property and causing disturbance.
They are believed to have been involved in an incident which a helicopter carrying former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was stoned and left with a window shuttered.
The incident happened Raila and his team were in Kabenes for the burial of former prominent Uasin Gishu farmer Mzee Jackson Kibor.
Three political leaders Soy Member of Parliament Caleb Kositany, Oscar Sudi of Kapseret and Uasin Gishu County Assembly Speaker David Kiplagat have also recorded a statement with DCI concerning the incident.
DCI said preliminary investigations showed they planned and coordinated the attack but have not released any further statement since they recorded statements.
Interior and National Coordination Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i had also told a parliamentary committee that the attack on Raila’s chopper was premeditated.
