Mwamnwadzi, wife charged with incitement

By Patrick Beja

Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) chairman Omar Hamisi Mwamnwadzi and his wife Maimuna Hamisi Mwavyombo have been charged in court.

The two were charged with several counts of being in possession of firearms and incitement.

Mwamnwadzi, the self-declared president, and Maimuna who were reportedly arrested in a goat shed, denied the charges.

They were arraigned before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Stephen Riech last evening together with 35 youths.

The suspects, who were represented by Mombasa lawyer Ananiah Mwaboza, were remanded in custody pending ruling on their bond application on October 22.

State counsel George Murithi argued that the 37 accused should be denied bond for their own safety because there was tension on the ground following the killing of the Kombani assistant chief soon after their arrest.

He also said release of the suspects could pose danger to the communities. “I am urging the court to consider the nature and seriousness of the offences the accused are facing,” he argued.

Defence

But Mwaboza argued that the killing of the assistant chief occurred when the 37 had already been arrested and that they could not be linked to the incident.

Mwaboza also argued that MRC was a legitimate group after a ban slapped by the Government on it in 2009 was lifted by the Mombasa High Court.

“MRC is a legal group and these suspects have not jumped bail. It is therefore their constitutional right to be granted bond,” Mwaboza argued.

He also urged the court to order the suspects be taken to hospital.

Mwamnwadzi and Maimuna were charged that on October 15, this year at Kombani in Kwale County, they were found in possession of a firearm without a firearm certificate. They faced other counts of possession of 15 rounds of ammunition, four bottles of petrol bombs and assorted crude weapons.

Mwamnwadzi and Maimuna were also charged with being in possession of two T-shirts with the words “Pwani si Kenya (Coast is not in Kenya), Mombasa Republican Council, Nchi Mpya Maisha Mapya (new country new life)”, which implied that it was or might be desirable to disobey the lawful authority of the Government.

Another charge stated that on October 15, without lawful excuse, they were found in possession of a pamphlet titled “Pwani si Kenya”.

The two were also charged with being in possession of a gourd, oil, black ribbon and paraphernalia used in exercise of witchcraft.

Arsenal

In the other counts, Mwamnwadzi and Maimuna and the 35 others were charged with being in possession of firearms, four petrol bombs, three Swahili swords, six knives, four arrows, two bows, two Maasai swords, a spear, eight pangas and four catapults in circumstances that raised reasonable presumption that they were to be used in a manner prejudicial to public order.