Four arrested for vandalising SGR, to face organised crime charges

A gap in the guardrail on the vandalised section of the Standard Gauge Railway in Mariakani. /COURTESY
A gap in the guardrail on the vandalised section of the Standard Gauge Railway in Mariakani. /COURTESY

Four suspects have been arrested for stealing and vandalising parts of the Standard Gauge Railway, DPP Keriako Tobiko has said.

Tobiko said the four will be charged with organised crime.

"They will not be charged as petty thieves but as organised criminals and economic saboteurs. Where evidence warrants, they will be charged with appropriate capital offence," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Noting their goal is to end cartel operations, the DPP said authorities were pursuing more suspects.

On Saturday, IG Joseph Boinnet warned against the destruction of SGR infrastructure saying it will attract stiff penalties as it amounts to

economic sabotage.

This was after a section of the new railway was damaged by unknown people in Mariakani, Mombasa.

Pictures seen by the Star showed a gap in one section of the guardrail.

Speculation is rife that the damage caused on the rail was an act of sabotage ahead of its launch by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday.

More on this:

WATCH: The latest videos from the Star