A renowned Nairobi lawyer has been arraigned in court for allegedly throwing a wooden box with Ksh850 coins at President Uhuru Kenyatta's Harambee House offices.
Mr James Njonjo Mue, who is also a human rights activist appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Kennedy Cheruiyot.
He denied charges of offensive conduct and flying the Kenyan flag without authority, an act that the prosecution claim was intended to provoke breach of peace.
Mr Njonjo, who is an Alliance High School alumnus, was accused of throwing a wooden box containing the coins while driving his vehicle, a Toyota Rav4.
[caption caption="Mr Njonjo Mue, Independent Consultant at Just Consult Africa, speaks during a public forum at Safari Club Hotel, Nairobi in 2017"]
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According to the prosecution, Mr Njonjo unlawfully flew the flag on his vehicle without permission from the Interior Ministry.
The magistrate, however, released him on a Ksh200,000 personal bond and also ordered for the release of his vehicle which was being held by the police since Wednesday.
Additionally, the magistrate ordered that his case be heard on July 26, 2018.
However, it is not the first time that the human rights activist found himself in trouble as he is remembered as the man who is 2004 went up the walls of Parliament and striped a Cabinet minister’s limousine of a flag to symbolically demonstrate the government’s loss of moral authority to govern after the Anglo-leasing scandal.
In the same year, he was also accused of allegedly slapping an Assistant Minister in the process before he was arrested and charged with creating disturbance.
During the hearing of his case, he is reported to have stunned everyone by singing the whole national anthem.
The magistrate ordered that he be subjected for a psychiatric test but he instead lectured the court on how it is considered normal for local leaders in power to act with impunity at the expense of the public.
In 1997, he is remembered for joining other activists at Uhuru Park to demand a new constitution ahead of the elections.
On that day, as police tear-gassed everyone, he was left kneeling down, praying and singing the National Anthem.
[caption caption="Chief Justice David Maraga together with Lawyer James Njonjo Mue during a past conference"]
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