After being detained for his cost of living protests on Tuesday, comedian Eric Omondi and 17 others have been released on bond.
Appearing at the Milimani Law Courts, on Wednesday the group entered a not-guilty plea for causing a public nuisance and participating in an unlawful assembly.
They denied the charge and were released on a Sh 20,000 bond or an alternative cash bail of Sh 10,000.
The group’s lawyer Danstan Omari requested leniency from the court, seeking better bail terms.
“The charge sheet reads that they have been charged with taking part in an unlawful assembly,” He told Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina that all of them are content creators.
adding that Omondi is a Kenyan global brand
“They went to parliament to get a solution on the current high cost of living. I urge the court to take judicial notice that 6 M are on the verge of starving,” Omari said.
He told the court that the young men represented 55 million Kenyans at parliament to tell MPs to do something on the issue“
The state has criminalized these national heroes fighting for them. They are irritants to the government” he said.
He said the young men cannot afford food on their table so the court should grant them on personal bond or cash bail of Sh5,000.
We are urging you to look at article 37 on the right to picket and 33 on the freedom of expression
“Allow them to go home so that they can continue to entertain us on TV, “ Omari said
The prosecution did not oppose their release on bail but wanted 40,000.
The case will be mentioned on March 6 for pre-trial.
