39 Shakahola suspect appear before Tononoka Children’s Court

Mombasa,

Thursday, January 25, 2024

KNA by Andrew Hinga

39 Shakahola massacre suspects, were on Thursday charged before Tononoka Children’s Courts, Mombasa.

The accused persons appeared before Principal Magistrate, Nelly Chepchirchir. They were charged with 17 offences under the Children Act 2012, prevention of Torture Act 2017 and Basic Education Act 2013.

The Charges include two counts of subjecting a child to torture with an alternative count of assault, causing actual bodily harm, nine charges of cruelty to a child and six counts of infringing a child's right to education.

The accused including main suspect, Paul Mackenzie, denied subjecting a child to torture contrary to section 25 (3) of the Children Act, 2022 as read with section 5 (1) of the Prevention of Torture Act, No. 12 of 2017.

They also pleaded not guilty to assault, causing bodily harm contrary to section 251 of the Penal Code, Cap 63 Laws of Kenya and cruelty to a child, contrary to Section 152 (1) (a) of the Children Act, 2022.

Some of the accused persons, who were charged with infringing on the rights of children's right to education, contrary to Section 30 (1) (2), as read with section 30 (3) of the Basic Education Act, 2013, denied the offence.

The suspects allegedly committed the offences on unknown dates between 2019 and 2023 at Shakahola Forest within Kilifi County.

 The prosecution led by Deputy DPP, Mr Victor Mule, Senior Assistant DPP, Mr Peter Kiprop, Assistant DPP, Jami Yamina, Principal Prosecution Counsels, Betty Rubia and Victor Owiti, Prosecution Counsels, Eunice Odongo and Biasha Khalifa, opposed the release of the suspects on Bond.

However, the application supported by an affidavit of Inspector Francis Maina, could not be heard immediately. The Magistrate directed the application be heard on February 15, 2024 to allow the defence time to reply to issues raised in the application.

Courtesy; KNA