University of Nairobi student arrested and charged with attempting to burn a city hotel reportedly owned by President RUTO - He was caught with a 5-litre jerrycan of petrol.

Wednesday, September 11, 2024 - A fourth-year student at the University of Nairobi was arrested and charged with attempting to burn Hotel Boulevard, linked to President William Ruto, during student protests against the higher education funding model.

The suspect, Bernard Wangila Ojiambo, was caught with a five-litre jerrycan of petrol near the hotel where the students engaged anti-riot police officers in running battles as they called for the scrapping of the funding model.

“The charge against you states that jointly with others not before the court, you were found with a five-liter jerrycan with petrol at Hotel Boulevard in circumstances that indicated you intended to commit a felony namely, arson,”  Senior Principal Magistrate Robinson Ondieki read out the charge to the suspect.

Ojiambo denied the charge.

Defence lawyer Danstan Omari told the court that the accused was arrested on his way to his rented house.

Omari pleaded with the court to release the student on lenient bail terms, adding that he defended the student pro bono.

However, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) opposed the bail application, citing numerous arson cases.

The magistrate reserved his bail ruling and ordered the student to be detained at Capitol Hill Police Station until Tuesday, September 11, 2024, when he will rule on the bond application.

 The Kenyan DAILY POST.