Vandalizing the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line will now be treated as a capital offense, attracting a Sh. 1 million fine and a 10-year jail term.
This is according to the director of public prosecution (DPP) Keriako Tobiko.
Mr. Tobiko’s warning came as four suspects were arrested for vandalizing a section of the railway line.
He said that the four suspects will be arraigned in court ready to be subjected to the stiff penalties.
“All those identified and apprehended will face the full force of the law and will be charged and prosecuted not as petty thieves but as organised criminals and economic saboteurs,” Mr Tobiko said in a statement.
“Further, where evidence warrants, they will be charged with appropriate capital offenses.”
The new railway is set to become the most important artery in Kenya’s transport network, hauling passengers and cargo from Mombasa to Nairobi in the first phase.
The railway promises greater speed and lower charges compared to truckers. The line, covering some 609 kilometres, has attracted vandals mainly targeting metals.
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