56 drunk, disorderly students arraigned in court in Taita-Taveta

Taveta Sub County Security Committee has threatened to close down an entertainment joint for allowing minors in its premises.

Area acting OCPD Joel Chesire disclosed that the security committee will meet this week to decide the fate of the management of the bar for allegedly allowing primary and secondary school pupils on Sunday night.

“We will meet this week to decide the fate of the bar in Taveta border town that has been allowing minors in its premises during school holidays. We will definitely take action against the management of the bar” said the OCPD.

Mr Chesire’s warning comes after police rounded up and arrested students who were drunk and disorderly in the bar on Sunday night.

Out of 89 students arrested, a total of 56 among them 25 female students were charged in court on Monday. It has not however been established why 33 others had not been charged in a court of law.

The minors were arrested at the populous Veteran Club in Taveta border town and charged before the Taveta Resident Magistrate Geoffrey Kimang’a.

Also arraigned in court was the manager of the club Silas Ovoringwa. The official was charged that on April 29 this year in Taveta town, Taita-Taveta County, he willfully and unlawfully allowed minors to take alcohol in his premises. The charge is against the Children’s Act 2006.

The magistrate released the accused with a cash bail of Sh1 million and a surety of a similar amount.

Kimang’a ordered the police to take the minors to the Taveta Sub County Hospital for age assessment before they are presented in court to answer the charges.

At the same time the magistrate ordered the Probation and Children’s Department to present a comprehensive report to the court on each of the suspect before May 8th this year when the case will be heard.

Kimanga further directed the students’ parents to appear before the court on May 8th. “The children will continue to be in police custody until May 8 when they will be arraigned in court,” said the magistrate.

According to the residents and leaders, the suspects in provocative dresses were entertaining themselves in the bar before the police swung into action and arrested them.

“We received a tip off from members of the public where police swung into action and arrested the suspects. On interrogation we found out that the minors were all school going children,” said Chesire.

Sources told The Standard that the students had gathered for a back-to-school party at the time of their arrest.

The OCPD said the children were under the custody of their parents who allowed them to use alcohol. “We will also take action against parents who failed to protect them during the school holidays,” warned Chesire.

The incident has sparked public outcry with leaders calling on the police to crack down on bar operators who allow teenagers into their premises.