Two Somali minors who were captured on video desecrating the Kenyan flag a fortnight ago at Nyayo Stadium have been granted a cash bail of Ksh50,000 each.
The duo had been charged at a Nairobi Court for allegedly being in the country illegally and damaging the country's national symbol of unity.
After a week of being detained at the Gigiri Children's Protection Unit, the two minors pleaded not guilty to the charges and were released on cash bail.
However, the court directed that the two be presented before it on October 8 for further directions. This is after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) told the court that its probation inquiry report was not ready.
The court's directive came a week after the minors were arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) after a viral video of the suspects desecrating the Kenyan flag sparked uproar.
The clip, which was widely shared on social media, showed the two young Mogadishu FC fans grabbing a flag from a Kenya Police FC supporter and desecrating it.
The incident ttracted the attention of many Kenyans who condemned the act and demanded the immediate arrest of the suspects.
On September 25, DCI officers confirmed the arrest of the first suspect, a 17-year-old, before they apprehended the second suspect, a 14-year-old, a day later.
According to the detectives, the incident took place on September 20, 2025, at Nyayo Stadium during a football match between Mogadishu City Club and Police FC.
While announcing the arrest of the suspects, the DCI officers termed the incident as an act that is both unlawful and deeply offensive to the values we uphold as a nation.
The officers cited Section 2B of the National Flag Emblem and Names Act, which outlines an offence for any person to show disrespect to the Kenyan flag.
"Any person who shows disrespect, in speech, manner or writing, to or with reference to the National Anthem, or to any specified emblem, specified likeness or specified name, or any representation thereof, shall be guilty of an offence," the law dictates.
