37 Chinese nationals who were arrested in 2014 on suspicion of engaging in illegal cyber operations were on Tuesday afternoon granted freedom by a Nairobi court.
While delivering its ruling, the court stated that the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence to sustain their conviction.
The group of illegal immigrants was apprehended on December 3, 2014 at a house in Runda and charged with operating a cyber command centre, which the police suspected was for hacking Kenya’s financial and communication systems.
Police officers made the discovery of the sophisticated telecommunication equipment after a fire broke out in their Runda house killing one of the foreigners. They alleged the luxurious house rented by the group was to act as a command center for cyber terrorists.
Attempts by the Chinese government to extradite the suspects to face charges in China were unsuccessful, leaving them remanded in Kenya for over a year after they were denied bail.
