Suspects in Nakuru arson attack charged with murder
From left: Mr David Mwangi, Mr John Ng'ang'a and Mr Stephen Wathenga when they appeared in a Nakuru court on April 12, 2022 where they faced murder charges following an arson attack on South Sudanese nationals.
Three suspects linked to an arson attack in Nakuru that left one South Sudanese national dead and four others injured have been charged with murder.
Mr David Mwangi, Mr John Nganga and Mr Stephen Wathanga, who appeared before Justice Teresia Matheka on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to murder charges.
The court ordered that the three be held until Thursday as it considers their bond application.
The three will be remanded at the Nakuru Central Police station.
The court heard that on March 18, 2022, jointly with others not before court, at the Zambezi apartment in Mawanga Estate, in Nakuru East, the suspects killed Mr Garang Chol Ajang.
The court denied the suspects bond after the prosecution said their release would jeopardise their lives as the area where the crime was committed is still hostile. The three, through their lawyers, argued that the prosecution had not filed any document to support the allegations.
However, Justice Matheka ordered that a pre-bail report be presented in court before the suspects’ bond application is considered.
Released on bail
“It is the right of every person to be admitted on bond terms unless there are compelling reasons. The prosecution is not objecting to the accused being released on bail, but the court has to be furnished with the report in order to make a decision,” said the judge.
According to a court document Mr Mwangi was arrested after he was found with a burn injury on his left arm. He claimed to have sustained the burn injury as he tried to rescue the victims at the crime scene.
Mr Mwangi, 37, is a businessman who owns a shop while Mr Wathanga, 22, and Mr Nganga, 23, operate a butchery within the Mawanga area.
Two suspects, Simon Kuria and Ann Wanjiru, were released after the court failed to link them to the crime. The case will be mentioned on Thursday 13, 2022, when the court will make a ruling on bond terms.
Smoke inhalation
Five Sudanese nationals-Ajang Chol Ajang (28), Akuien Chol Ajang (25), Garang Chol Ajang (22), Guor Anya Guor (26) and Bul Garang Bul (28), were attacked by a mob inside their house, doused in petrol and set on fire at their Mawanga estate in Nakuru City.
One of the victims, Garang Chol Ajang died while receiving treatment at the Nakuru Specialist hospital.
An autopsy report revealed that Garang Chol Ajang succumbed to smoke inhalation.
Mr Kuol Agok, the head of mission at the South Sudanese Embassy in Nairobi early this month visited the scene of the incident to assess the situation and asked the police to expedite investigations into the attack.
He condemned the incident and asked the Kenyan government to investigate the matter and ensure the victims get justice.
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