Kenyan Pastor Charged Over 'Referendum Bomb Plot'

A pastor and a quarry worker who were allegedly found with explosive-making materials were charged at the Kibera Law courts on Monday morning where they denied that they planned to detonate the materials to injure people.

Pastor John Kamau Mbugua and Samuel Chege Gitau were jointly charged with possessing two Kilograms of prilled Ammonium Nitrate, Electric fuses and a detonator which they allegedly intended to use to harm the public.

The two, however, denied the charges before Kibera Senior Principal Magistrate Grace Nzioka who granted each of them a bond of Sh500,000 with a surety of the same amount.

The case will be mentioned on August 24.

The two told the court they intended to use the materials to blast stones at a quarry. The charge sheet stated that the two were arrested on Saturday afternoon within Karura forest on Kiambu road.

Another quarry worker, John Chege was also charged in the same court for having been allegedly in possession of seven kilograms of Ammonium Nitrate, 10 aluminum detonators and fuses which he allegedly intended to use to harm the public and cause prejudice to public order.

The man denied the charges and was released on a Sh500,000 bond with a surety of a similar amount. He told the court that he is a quarry worker and only intended to use the materials to blast stones at a quarry.

A statement from Police Headquarters earlier stated that officers had acted on a tip off in arresting Pastor Kamau of Mission Church in Githunguri and his accomplice a Mr Gitau.

The statement issued by Police Spokesman Erick Kiraithe stated that the suspects were found with prilled ammonium nitrate, a detonator and a safety fuse.

Mr Kiraithe did not reveal details of an investigation carried out by detectives on the two suspects but he sought to assure the public that  “Police are taking all possible measures to ensure law and order is observed during the referendum campaigns and on the voting day.”

Source: http://capitalfm.co.ke/news/Kenyanews/Kenya-charges-pastor-over-explosiv...