Seven men accused of participating in the July 3 arson attack on Mawego Police Station in Rachuonyo North, Homa Bay County, have been granted cash bail, even as they face serious charges including terrorism.

Kennedy Oluoch Oluoch, Nicholas Otieno, Tofiq Owiti Mohamed, Michael Omondi Opiyo, David Bill Clinton Otieno, Robert Ouko Abala, Samuel Ouma Odhiambo, and Erick Obunga Osumba are facing three charges commission of a terrorist act, arson, and malicious damage to property.

On Thursday, a Nairobi court allowed seven of them to be released on a cash bail of Sh50,000 each, while the sixth accused, Robert Ouko Abala, was granted bond terms of Sh200,000 with two sureties of the same amount.

The suspects are accused of leading a violent attack that saw Mawego Police Station torched during protests following the death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang while in police custody.

According to detectives, the incident resulted in the destruction of government property.

They were initially presented before the Oyugis Law Courts, where the Directorate of Criminal Investigations said the group were believed to be “ringleaders behind the coordinated attack, carried out in collaboration with other accomplices who remain at large.”

The DCI further confirmed that the suspects were charged with three counts. “Count I: Commission of a terrorist act, contrary to Section 4(1) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

Count II: Arson, contrary to Section 332 of the Penal Code. Count III: Malicious damage to property, contrary to Section 339 of the Penal Code,” DCI stated.

All the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The court has scheduled a pre-trial hearing for August 14.