Date set for the arraignment of ex-Mungiki leader Maina Njenga in court

Officers attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are planning to arraign ex-Mungiki leader Maina Njenga on Monday 22 May 2023, Nairobi News can now reveal. Mr Njenga spent most of Thursday, May 25, 2023, in the hands of DCI detectives who later released him in the evening. At the time of going to press, plans were underway to hand over his file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). Also read: Six things to know about ex-Mungiki leader Maina Njenga In documents seen by Nairobi News, Mr Njenga is accused of being a member of the Mungiki, an organised criminal group banned by the government years ago. He is also accused of engaging in criminal activities after he addressed a charged meeting in Wanyoro, Nakuru County on 11 May 2023. In the meeting, which he is accused of chairing, Mr Maina allegedly encouraged the youth to engage in criminal activities. He is also accused of being in possession of a firearm and 40 rolls of bhang found at his home in Bahati Sub-County, Nakuru County. Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) also say he was found in possession of a military backpack strap, which the National Police Service (NPS) claims is its property. The documents allege that he obtained the property illegally or stole it from a police officer. The DCI, who released him on bail, is already planning to charge the suspect along with 11 of his supporters. Also read: How ex-Mungiki leader Njenga was kicked out of top sleuth's function The DCI's headquarters along Kiambu Road was a beehive of activity on Thursday as officers engaged his supporters in running battles. Mr Njenga was wanted for questioning after police raided his three houses in Nakuru County, Lavington and Karen where they found a firearm. The former Mungiki boss spent the whole of Wednesday, 24 May at the Nakuru Magistrate's Court fighting his arrest by police. He later appeared at the Nakuru County Directorate of Criminal Investigations offices to record a statement. At the Nakuru court, he was represented by his lawyer Ndegwa Njiru before Senior Resident Magistrate Emmanuel Soita. The lawyer argued that the DCI was out to spread false information about his client, who the Nairobi High Court had already granted anticipatory bail. "It is also illegal for the police to claim that they are looking for Njenga because they have no warrant for his arrest apart from the anticipatory bail which expires on 20 June when he is expected to enter a plea," he said. He said no officer had contacted Mr Njenga to ask him to represent himself before the police. Also read: Ex-mungiki leader Maina Njenga sues Uhuru party over nomination