Omar Khamis Mwamnuadzi charged with holding illegal meeting, drug possession

Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) leader Omar Khamis Mwamnuadzi was yesterday charged at the Mombasa Law Courts with holding an illegal meeting at his home and possessing bhang worth Sh300.

Mr Mwamnuadzi and his wife Maimuma Hamisi were arrested at their home in Kombani, Kwale County, on Monday evening. They were detained at Kwale Police Station and were moved to Mombasa yesterday morning under heavy police guard.

Mwamnuadzi was brought to court together with his wife, who was however, set free after police failed to link her to her husband’s alleged crime.

Six men who were allegedly arrested together with Mwamnuadzi were also charged with holding an illegal meeting. But Mwamnuadzi and his accomplices denied the charges and were released on a bond of Sh500,000 each with similar surety.

The MRC leader denied before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Stephen Riech that on December 29, he was found in possession of bhang worth Sh300.

Mwamnuadzi also denied that on December 29 at Kombani village in Kwale County, he held a meeting with six others without authority.

Mwamnuadzi who has several cases against him had not secured a surety by the time of going to Press.

“Hamisi has been set free because the prosecution has no charges against her,” said Riech

Riech ordered he should come for hearing on January 29. The accused will come for mention after two weeks. On October 15 this year, Mwamnuadzi was arrested with 10 other people at his home in Kombani and charged with illegal assembly. He has been out on bond since November.

Meanwhile, 10 suspected members of the separatist group have been charged in a Mombasa court with robbing an Administration Police of his G3 rifle on December 11 and killing him.

The accused were  remanded at Shimo La Tewa Prison until January 29, when their application to be released on bond will be delivered. Assistant Director of Public Prosecution Alex Muteti said the accused were dangerous people who should not be released on bond.

“The suspects should not be released on bond because they can easily commit similar offences as they have no respect for the lives of others,” said Muteti

Muteti said the suspects should remain in custody during trial.

But their lawyer Wycliff Makasembo said they had the right to be released on bond because they were still presumed not guilty until proven otherwise.

In July this year, the Government refused to register MRC as a society, claiming it was a violent organisation, a decision the movement challenged in court in October.