Two men who allegedly threw stones at a helicopter carrying former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in 2022 have been ordered to defend themselves in court.
Abednego Kemboi, a trader, and Kenneth Sawe, a farmer, are facing charges of malicious damage to property, willfully and unlawfully destroying an aircraft and creating disturbance in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace.
The incident occurred on February 14, 2022, when Mr Odinga was campaigning for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County.
The chopper's windscreen was shattered by the stones, but the pilot managed to land safely at the Eldoret International Airport.
Senior Principal Magistrate Mogire Onkoba ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the two accused and put them on their defence.
The magistrate said the evidence presented by the prosecution, including the testimony of the pilot and the police officers who arrested the suspects, was sufficient to require them to answer the charges.
The defence lawyer, however, argued that the charges were politically motivated and that the suspects were innocent bystanders who were caught up in the chaos.
The case will resume on February 28, 2024, when the two accused are expected to testify and call their witnesses.
