• Amnesty International says protesters had notified police ahead of action.
• They deny charge and are released on Sh20,000 cash bail.
Image: FILE
Three South Sudanese men were on Thursday charged with taking part in unlawful assembly.
Pouch Mario Dual, Panthel Degw and Makoi Majak were accused that on July 9 along Galana Road at the gate of the South Sudan embassy in Kilimani they took part in unlawful assembly.
The three denied the charge before chief magistrate Joyce Gandani.
Through their lawyer Demas Kiprono, they told court that they were innocent and asked the court for lenient bond terms.
Makoi who is a student at law school said he missed exams because of the arrest.
Mario said his ID was confiscated at the police station.
Kiprono urged the court to give orders not to deport the accused as they faced danger at home.
The court released them on a cash bail of Sh20,000 each.
She also ordered the Immigration Department and investigating officers to ensure the accused are not removed from the court’s jurisdiction. The case will be mentioned on July 24.
The three were arrested in Kilimani while expressing their frustration with the the government of South Sudan and calling for a peaceful change in leadership.
Amnesty International executive director Irungu Houghton said organizers of the assembly had notified and served the police on July 6 on their plan to petition the embassy.
Irungu said the notification was received without reservation. Section 5(5) of Kenya’s Public Order Management Act requires the regulating officer to notify planners of any reservation. This was not done, he said.
Amnesty said the protesters were peaceful and were arrested after the assembly was over.