Former Mungiki Leader Maina Njenga arraigned After Days in Custody

Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga was Monday finally arraigned after spending five nights in police custody.

He was driven to Makadara law courts under tight security ahead of his arraignment over claims of planning anti-government protests against the high cost of living.

He had been arrested on July 20 by police from lower Matasia in Ngong and taken to an undisclosed location, his lawyer Ndegwa Njiru said.

There has been no communication with him from his lawyers and family prompting protests that it was a form of torture.

Read: Ex-Mungiki Leader Maina Njenga Arrested

The lawyers moved to court under herbius corpus and obtained and an order requiring police to produce him in court on July 24.

Appearing in court on Monday, Njenga alongside two others; Peter Njoroge Kamunya and Felix Ratu Lakishe, were charged with organizing an unlawful assembly contrary to Section 5 (11) as read with 5 (10) of the Public Order Act Cap 56 Laws of Kenya.

According to the charge sheet, the trio were found in possession of 14 machetes, 24 maasai swords, 46 rungus and 3 jembe sticks.

Njenga is among dozens of leaders detained for days by police over claims of organizing the protests. The countrywide protests were called to denounce high cost of living and new Finance Act 2023.

Read Also: Ex-Mungiki Leader Maina Njenga Taken to Unknown Location by DCI – Karua

More protests are planned for this week amid police crackdown.

Police have been criticized over their brutality which left up to 15 people dead and others wounded.