MCA, political activist charged with heckling at Ruto meeting
Nominated Bomet County Assembly member Victor Rop (left) and political activist and businessman Bildad Cheruiyot as they appeared before Bomet Principal Magistrate Martin Rabera on April 2, 2024 on charges of causing chaos and terror, heckling and throwing stones during a meeting convened by President William Ruto in Bomet town on March 16, 2024.
A nominated MCA in Bomet County and a political activist are the latest to be charged in court for allegedly causing terror and chaos during a meeting convened by President William Ruto.
Mr Victor Rop, a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) MCA, and Mr Bildad Cheruiyot, a businessman and politician, join a growing list of suspects arrested and charged in connection with the incident that allegedly took place in Bomet Township on March 16.
Appearing before Principal Magistrate Martin Rabella on Tuesday, they denied the charges.
They were represented by lawyer Duncan Kipngetich. State prosecutor Erick Waweru is prosecuting the case.
This brings the total number of people charged in court over the incident to five.
Last week, Donex Kiplangat Biegon alias Generali or Jeshi, Paul Kiprono Bett and Michael Ngeno alias Cheboror were arraigned in the same court on similar charges which they also denied. Mr Rop and Mr Cheruiyot were released on Sh100,000 bond with a surety of a similar amount.
Committing the offence
They were charged with committing the offence on March 16, 2024, in Bomet township, allegedly with others not before the court.
It is alleged that they were armed with crude weapons and stones in a public place during a public meeting convened by the president, causing terror to those present.
They are accused of throwing crude weapons and stones at the gathering with the intention of causing a breach of the peace.
The suspects are also charged with conspiracy to commit a crime by promoting war-like activities, shouting, chanting and throwing stones at a crowd during a meeting called by the President.
The magistrate set the hearing for both cases for April 9.
