Eight suspects linked to the July 3 arson attack on Mawego Police Station in Homa Bay have denied charges of terrorism, arson, and malicious damage to property. The group appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Richard Koech at the Kahawa Law Courts on Tuesday, where they pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
The suspects face accusations under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the Penal Code, following a violent protest that saw the police station torched by a mob carrying the coffin of Albert Ojwang’, a local teacher and blogger who died under suspicious circumstances while in police custody.
Ojwang’, a secondary school teacher in Taita Taveta, was arrested on June 7 at his home in Homa Bay by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). He was initially held at Mawego Police Station before being transported to Nairobi’s Central Police Station, where he died in custody on June 8.
According to a postmortem report, Ojwang’ was strangled after being assaulted, allegedly by fellow inmates who were paid to carry out the attack. His arrest stemmed from an online post that allegedly defamed Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat.
Ojwang’s death sparked public outrage, culminating in the Mawego police station attack. During the incident, demonstrators, reportedly carrying Ojwang’s coffin, stormed the station, set it ablaze, and destroyed property as a form of protest.
The suspects were initially detained under custodial orders by the Oyugis Law Court before being re-arrested on July 14 and transferred to the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) in Nairobi, where they were formally charged.
Prosecutors have strongly opposed the release of the accused on bond, citing the seriousness of the charges. However, defence lawyers have pushed back, arguing that their clients are innocent and should be granted bail.
Magistrate Koech scheduled the next court mention for July 22, 2025, when a ruling on the bond application will be delivered. In the meantime, the suspects remain in custody at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison as investigations continue.
