MRC leaders face additional charge

Four leaders of the Mombasa Republican Council have been charged with belonging to an unlawful society.
Their bail conditions have also been tightened and commencement of their trial pushed to December 28.

Yesterday, the four were charged that between 2005 and October 18 within Coast Province, the four jointly with others not before court were found to be members of (an) unlawful society namely the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC).

The four are Treasurer Omar Suleiman alias Bam Bam, Spokesman Rashid Mraja,  Secretary General Hamza Randu and Chairman Omar Mwamnuadzi. They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The four are already facing charges of inciting rebellion for preaching secession or possessing separatist literature under the MRC.
Sh3m bond
Its main leader Omar Hamisi Mwamnwadzi, who was captured on October 15 at his home in Kombani, Kwale, is facing seven other charges including gun possession.
On Monday, the court in Mombasa slapped a Sh3 million bond on Mwamnwadzi and his wife Maimuna with whom he faces joint charges and 35 other defendants, but they have been unable to raise the bonds and remain in detention at the Shimo la Tewa Prison in Mombasa.
MRC spokesman Mohamed Rashid Mraja and Secretary General Hamza Randu were also charged with incitement after the Government launched a crackdown on the separatist group.
They were required to deposit Sh2 million bond with similar surety of the same amount, which they have not been able to raise and remain in custody.
On Monday, the group’s Treasurer Omar Suleiman Babu alias Bam Bam was charged with being a member of an unlawful society after police obtained a warrant for his arrest and detention of the ot  her three MRC leaders. 
He was, however, freed after paying a Sh1 million bond and attended yesterday’s proceedings at the Mombasa Law Courts. The four were also freed on Sh1 million bail.
Mombasa Principal Magistrate Richard Odenyo ordered them to appear in court for the hearing on December 28, with the mention of the case in two weeks time.
Surrender to police
Those still at large are a priest, Nyae Ngao, Salim Ali Goga, Salim Hamisi Mlamba and Robert Charo Tukwatukwa, with some of them said to be planning to surrender themselves to police.

The MRC top leadership’s problems began on October with Mraja’s capture in Mombasa town, despite the July 25 ruling by a constitutional court that lifted a 2009 ban on the separatist group.

While lifting the ban, the court had warned the MRC that its agitation for secession could be deemed unlawful if it constituted propaganda for war, hate speech and incitement.
The State rejected the ruling and said it will appeal it but in the meantime launched a crackdown on MRC leaders after claiming the separatist group had waged a terror campaign  to disrupt voting and national examinations in Coast province.


source: standard media