Former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga was arrested and detained for allegedly being in connection with planning and executing the failed August 1, 1982, coup meant to overthrow retired President Daniel Moi’s government.
In his book Flame of Freedom, Raila penned out the 11 charges he was slapped with in court.
The first charge was that, in mid-July 1982, at Nairobi, Raila loaned Senior Private Hezekiah Ochuka his Peugeot 504, registration number KVZ 642, to assist him in making preparations to overthrow the government.
The second charge was that on or about the 18th day of July 1982, he visited the house of Senior Private Hezekiah Ochuka at Umoja Estate in Nairobi and discussed plans to overthrow the government with the Kenya Airforce Sergeant and others.
He was also accused that on or about the 30th day of July 1982, Raila went to Little Eden Bar at Umoja Estate in Nairobi and discussed with Senior Private Hezekiah Ochuka and other servicemen from the Kenya Air Force plans to overthrow the government.
The fourth charge was that he and Otieno Mak’Onyango (former Alego Usonga MP), on the 31st day of July of 1982, went to Mausoleum Bar in Buru Buru Estate in Nairobi, to discuss plans to overthrow the government with Ochuka and other servicemen from the Kenya Air Force.
Raila was further accused that together with Mak’Onyango, on the 31st day of July 1982, went to Ongere Bar and Shaurimoyo in Nairobi for the purposes of liaising with Ochuka and other servicemen from the Kenya Air Force prior to commencing the plan to overthrow the government later that night.
The sixth charge was that the ODM leader and the MP, on the night of the 31st July and 1st August 1982, occupied the house of Alfred Vincent Otieno at Ngong Road in Nairobi and assisted Ochuka and other servicemen to use the house as a centre of operation in their plans to overthrow the government.
The Opposition leader was also accused that on the same night, together with one Opwapo, brought a lamp and two accumulator batteries to the house of Alfred Vincent Otieno at Ngong Road in Nairobi for use in the course of establishing a rebel command centre.
The eight charge was that between the 31st July and 1st of August 1982, he loaned his Peugeot 504 registration KVZ 642 to Ochuka and Sergeant Joseph Ogidi Obuon in order to enable them to bring an SSE Land Rover for use in the course of establishing a rebel command centre.
On 1st August 1982, it was alleged that he loaned Peugeot 305 which belonged to a friend of his family to Senior Private Ochuka and others for purposes connected with the attempted overthrow of the government.
He was further accused that on or about the 9th day of August 1982, the ODM chief visited the house of Otieno at Ngong Road in Nairobi and removed a table which had earlier been used by the rebels in the course of attempting to establish the house as a command centre.
Between the 1st day of August 1982, and the 11th day of August 1982, it was alleged he assisted in the removal of two accumulator batteries knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that they had been used in connection with the attempted overthrow of the government.
Soon afterward, Raila together with Alfred Otieno and Mak’Onyango were committed to trial by chief magistrate Rauf, who ruled that there were sufficient grounds.
