Tension gripped the High Court in Narok yesterday after angry residents from the Majimoto area clashed with police officers and prison warders in a dramatic attempt to free a murder suspect from custody.
The confrontation, which lasted more than 20 minutes, saw security officers fire gunshots and lob tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.
In return, the protesters hurled stones within the court precincts, disrupting operations at the normally calm judicial facility.
The unrest erupted as prison warders escorted murder suspect Matunke Mayone to Narok Referral Hospital for a mental assessment ordered by the court.
Mayone, who is a prominent figure in Narok South who contested a parliamentary seat and came second runner-up in the 2022 polls, after he was defeated by the sitting MP Kitilai Ntutu, is accused of killing Koinet Sankale during a violent confrontation linked to a long-running land dispute in Maji Moto, Narok South, last week.
According to court records, Mayone had appeared before the court for a preliminary hearing after being remanded for 10 days pending investigations into the murder.
Before the violence, Mayone appeared before two Magistrates.
He first appeared before the Narok chief Magistrate Hesron Nyaberi, who ruled on the miscellaneous application, closed it and referred him to the registrar of the high court for further direction.
In court, defence lawyers, lawyers to the deceased family, and the prosecution clashed over the miscellaneous application before the Magistrate's court dated May 21, 2026.
Lawyer Parseen Masikonte, who was representing the accused, said, “The respondent have been detained at the Narok GK Prison for a period of 13 days, and our prayers are that the accused person be presented for mental assessment at the Narok referral Hospital,”
Masikonte, who was the lead defence lawyer alongside Jemimam lepore, Ezekiel Munyao and James Onduso, however, appealed to the court to allow an online session for a plea taking as the Judge incharge of the case is not sitting in Narok Law Court this week as he has other matters in Kilgoris Law Court.
Masikonte opposed a move by the prosecution counsel, Wandera Obura, who sought from the Magistrate court for the suspect to be held for more days as the High court judge designated to hear the case was not sitting this week.
Then moments later, he appeared before Deputy Registrar of the High Court Easter Mwikali, who gave the direction on the murder case.
She ordered the suspect to be taken for a mental assessment, taken to the Narok GK remand prison for two days and to appear before her on Thursday for the date of plea to be fixed.
“The suspect to be presented for mental assessment today. This order is directed to the in-charge Narok Gk prison mentioned on June 4, to confirm findings of the mental assessment and fixing for a day of plea, but in the meantime, the suspect is to be remanded at the Narok GK prison,” she added.
And as the prison warders attempted to drive him out of the court cells, residents started shouting, demanding his release, and they forcefully intercepted the suspect, who was in a prison vehicle, as he was being moved from the court premises.
The situation quickly escalated into running battles between security officers and the protesters.
Police and prison warders were eventually able to contain the disturbance and secure the suspect, preventing any breach of custody and rushed him to the Hospital for assessment.
The killing of Sankale has heightened tensions in the area, where a protracted land ownership dispute has fueled divisions among rival groups.
Investigators allege that Mayone was linked to one faction involved in the conflict and was arrested following the fatal incident.
Authorities have appealed for calm as investigations continue, warning that anyone involved in the violence at the court compound will face legal action.
No immediate reports of serious injuries were released by the authorities following the confrontation.
