BY IRENE ONYANGO.
A University of Nairobi student has been charged with possessing five litres of petrol, which the police claim he intended to commit arson.
Bernard Wangila Ojiambo was arrested on September 9, 2024 as students protested over the new university funding model.
The student was arraigned before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Robinson Ondieki where he denied the charges.
The charge stated that Wangila was arrested along Harry Thuku Road near Boulevard Hotel in Nairobi, jointly with others not before court, while in possession of a five litres of petrol.
The charge sheet said the student was arrested with petrol in circumstances indicating that he was intending to commit arson.
But the student said the fuel was meant for his motorcycle, which does business during his free time to pay for his school fees and basic needs.
“Your honour the accused person is a student who owns a boda boda which he uses to commute to school and back. Sometimes , he use it to get money for his school fees. It ran out of fuel and he went to get some just before he was arrested,” court heard.
He pleaded with the court to release him on a lenient cash bail to go back to school and sit for his final year examinations.
In pleading the court for lenient terms, his lawyer stated that he was representing the student for free.
However , the prosecution objected his application claiming that the accused person might cause harm if released on a cash bail.
“Your honour for the past few weeks there have been issues of schools in fire. The accused person was among the students who were protesting. Therefore, when released on a cash bail, he might continue with the alleged mission,” said the prosecution.
The court released Wangila on a cash bail of Sh5,000, which was paid for by the former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko.
Sonko said he has instructed lawyer to file an application in court stopping the government from increasing the University students’ fee.
