36 persons are accused of breaking into Chieni supermarket with the intent to commit a felony, in violation of Section 307 of the Penal Code, by a Nanyuki court.
According to reports, the incident happened on June 25, 2024, during a protest over the Finance Bill in Nanyuki Township, Laikipia East Sub-County, Laikipia County.
Counsel Peter Gitumu, the prosecutor, informed the court that the accused and other individuals had illegally and forcibly entered Chieni Supermarket.
Senior Resident Magistrate Masivo heard that the accused were found inside the supermarket with intent to steal.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and were each released on a bond of Sh200,000 or alternative cash bail of Sh 100,000.
Earlier, businessman and Kieni MP Wanaina Njoroge said he lost over Sh550 million in his supermarket in Nyeri during the raid.
Protesters also set ablaze a section of the Supermarket.
The UDA MP, who supported the Finance Bill 2024, was on the receiving end of protesters’ anger after they stormed his supermarket on Tuesday and went away with stock and equipment.
“I lost movable stock worth Sh450 million and equipment such as bakery shelves, among others, valued at Sh100 million,” the MP told the Standard.
Njoroge, who operates a supermarket chain in the Mt Kenya region, said the looted Nyeri branch employed over 350 people.
He was one of several MPs whose houses and offices were raided by irate protesters on Tuesday.
