Sixteen individuals have been charged in an Eldoret court of unlawfully entering the Timba XO club and then stealing and consuming alcohol valued at Sh78 million.
The establishment is associated with Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi. This incident occurred during youth-led protests against the Finance Bill 2024. The defendants face charges of theft with allegations of stealing property valued at Sh78,896,560 from the club. The list of stolen items includes sound equipment, televisions, computers, and various other valuables. Additionally, the suspects are accused of causing malicious damage to the property with the destruction estimated at Sh80,000,000. The vandalism affected offices, the CCTV control room, and the main facilities.
Some defendants also face alternative charges related to handling stolen goods. The break-in occurred amidst widespread demonstrations against the Finance Bill 2024 with the Timba XO club bearing the brunt of the unrest due to its connection to MP Oscar Sudi. The legal proceedings have begun with the accused appearing before Eldoret Principal Magistrate Kesse Choronoh. All defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their legal representatives including lawyers Asseso Omolo, Amazon Koech, and George Sonkule have appealed for lenient bond terms.
Notably, several of the accused are reported to be high school and college students from various institutions in Uasin Gishu County. The court has ordered the defendants to be held at Eldoret GK Prison while awaiting a decision on their bond application. Probation officers have been tasked with preparing a pre-bail report to assess the eligibility of the accused for release on bond. Notably, the prosecution has not objected to the possibility of a bond. This case bears similarities to another recent incident involving Baniyas Square Club where a suspect facing comparable charges was granted bail under revised terms.
Meanwhile, Sudi has chosen to step back from public commitments and projects. He explains that his involvement in events like Harambee has been misused against him.
“Going forward, I’ll not participate in any Harambee because it has been used to malign and disparage the good course, let it be banned,” he said.
