A fourth-year student at the University of Nairobi (UoN), Bernard Wangila, has been acquitted of charges related to his arrest during student protests against the university funding model last year.
Wangila was apprehended along Harry Thuku Road in Nairobi while carrying a five-litre jerrycan of petrol.
Magistrate Robinson Ondieki ruled in Wangila’s favor under Section 210 of the Penal Code, citing a lack of sufficient evidence.
The court noted that no exhibits were presented, and the prosecution failed to provide additional witnesses to support the testimony of the sole witness who testified.
Wangila had denied the allegations and maintained that the petrol was intended for his motorbike, which he relied on for commuting and sustaining himself while on campus.
According to the charge sheet, Wangila was arrested on September 9, 2024, along with others who are yet to be apprehended.
The prosecution claimed he was found in possession of an “offensive weapon”—a jerrycan filled with petrol—under circumstances suggesting he intended to commit arson.
Represented by lawyer Danstan Omari, Wangila argued that his motorbike had run out of fuel, prompting him to take another motorbike to purchase petrol for personal use.
His lawyer further explained that Wangila depended on his motorbike for bodaboda business to support his education and daily expenses, particularly in light of the financial struggles caused by the new university funding model.
Omari urged the court to dismiss the prosecution’s allegations and allow Wangila to resume his studies.
With no corroborating evidence presented, the court ruled in his favor, granting his acquittal.
