36 people were charged in a Nanyuki court for allegedly looting a supermarket during the anti-Finance Bill protests held on Tuesday.
Chieni Supermarket which is owned by Kieni MP Wainaina Njoroge was reported to have been vandalised where a group of looters made away with property from the supermarket.
On Thursday the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) revealed that the 36 individuals were charged with the offence of breaking into the supermarket with intent to commit a felony, contrary to Section 307 of the Penal Code.
According to the ODPP, the charged individuals allegedly took part in the looting in Nanyuki Township, Laikipia East Sub-County.
“The prosecution, told court the accused, along with others, forcibly and unlawfully gained entry into Chieni Supermarket” stated the ODPP.
However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and were each released on a bond of Ksh200,000 or alternative cash bail of Ksh100,000.
Earlier media reports indicated that the residents of the towns broke into the property after the MP voted to support the controversial Finance Bill of 2024.
The supermarket chain which also operates in Nyeri was also broken into where the looters made away with property before it was torched.
During the incident, the locals were seen rushing into the supermarket and leaving with various items household items such as bails of maize and wheat flour, litres of cooking oil, and sugar among others.
Residents also vandalised the property, breaking windows, tearing apart internal signage, and damaging other furniture belonging to the supermarket.
Additionally, some of the protestors moved to torch the building further exacerbating the losses incurred.
Speaking to journalists, the Member of Parliament revealed that he lost property amounting to Ksh550 million in the aftermath of the demonstrations
"I lost movable stock worth Sh450 million and equipment such as bakery shelves, among others, valued at Sh100 million," the MP told the Standard.
