Court postpones plea for Makongeni and Matuu Police Station arson suspects

The case against 22 suspects accused of setting ablaze two police stations in Kiambu and Machakos counties has once again stalled after prosecutors sought more time to amend the charges.

Sixteen people linked to the burning of Makongeni Police Station in Thika and six others accused of torching Matuu Police Station appeared before the Kahawa Law Courts on Thursday, October 2, 2025. However, the hearing failed to proceed after the State said investigations were incomplete and indicated that the charges may be revised.

Prosecutors told the court the arson attacks, which occurred at the height of anti-government demonstrations in June and July, threatened national security and could have endangered lives.

The defence, however, dismissed the move as a delaying tactic. Lawyer John Maina Ndegwa, representing all the accused, told the court: “We came here expecting the trial to start, only to be told investigations aren’t complete. These were random arrests, not even people from the scene of the crime.”

He further accused the prosecution of lacking evidence. “It seems the State does not have a case. That is why they are buying time. We are asking them to close the file and stop frustrating these young men,” Ndegwa said.

The lawyer also asked the court to order the release of motorcycles and tuk-tuks impounded during the arrests. But Principal Magistrate Gideon Kiaga declined, directing that the matter be addressed through other legal avenues. “On the issue of motorbikes, please let’s deal with that separately,” he ruled.

Some of the accused expressed their disappointment over the repeated delays. One of them, Mwau Gatungwa, told journalists outside the courtroom: “If we truly committed an act of terrorism, then let the case go on. These constant two-week delays are frustrating, but God is with us.”

The suspects are now scheduled to return to court on Tuesday, October 7, when they are expected to take fresh pleas once the amended charges are ready.

The Makongeni and Matuu police stations fires were part of a wave of unrest tied to anti-government protests over the high cost of living. While the State has described the incidents as terror attacks, human rights organisations have raised concern over arbitrary arrests and the broad use of security laws against protesters.