Chinese held in cyber crime raid to know bail fate Wednesday

Politics and policy

Some of the Chinese who were arrested on December 2. PHOTO | FILE 

By MAUREEN KAKAH

In Summary

• Forty Chinese arraigned before acting Senior Principal Magistrate Enock Cherono denied the charges of running a telecommunication system without a license and conspiracy to commit a felony.
• They were allegedly found in possession of laptops, routers and mobile phones which the prosecution said were connected with the commission, preparation and instigation of serious crimes.

Forty Chinese on Tuesday charged with illegally running a telecommunication system want the court to release them on bail pending trial.

The foreigners who were arrested at Nairobi’s Runda estate on December 2 when a house caught fire pleaded to be freed, arguing that they wanted to enjoy Christmas.

The court will Wednesday rule on whether they will be released.

The 40 arraigned before acting Senior Principal Magistrate Enock Cherono denied the charges of running a telecommunication system without a license and conspiracy to commit a felony.

They faced another charge of engaging in organised criminal activity.

They were allegedly found in possession of laptops, routers and mobile phones which the prosecution said were connected with the commission, preparation and instigation of serious crimes.

The prosecution said they should not be released on bail since there is no guarantee that they will turn up for trial.

READ: Chinese suspects plead not guilty in hacking case

The prosecution urged the court to consider the penalty of the offence committed.

“They are liable to 15 years imprisonment or a fine of Sh5 million each. Given this reality, the temptations to abscond trail are very real. They are also a flight risk,” said the State lawyer Daniel Karuri.

But Ian Maina, representing the Chinese told the court that the charges they were facing were merely allegations.

He accused the prosecution of unnecessary holding the suspects for owning” laptops and phones.”

“Even murderers and child molesters are given bond. And now this poor chaps are going to miss Christmas festivities just because they are foreigners,’’ he argued.

Initially, the suspect were to be charged with illegally operating telecommunication equipment. But the charges were yesterday amended prompting Mr Maina to protest, saying there was no new evidence.

Ten more Chinese suspects in the same court were yet to plead to any charge.