Five members of the outlawed Mungiki sect were yesterday acquitted of illegal assembly charges by a Nakuru court.
The sect's national chairman, Mr John Njenga Maina, Mr John Njuguna, Mr Joram Kiarie, Mr Nelson Munyiri and Mr Peter Njoroge were alleged to have committed the offence on October 27, 2000 in the town. They had denied the charge before Chief Magistrate Gladys Ndeda.
While discharging them, the magistrate said the evidence given in court had not proved that there was any gathering in the town on the day the offence was alleged to have been committed.
She added that the accused were pursued by the police after they received information that they were to hold a meeting in Nakuru town.
The police arrested them and searched their car, finding tobacco. The magistrate said there was no evidence to warrant the police action and that the accused did not have any reason to hold a meeting.
However, she warned them against celebrating their freedom in the court precincts.
Later, Mr Maina claimed that sect members were being targeted by the State for harassment. He told the authorities to dismiss similar cases against sect members that were pending in several courts.
"The State has been harassing and trying to intimidate us so that we do not enjoy our freedom to assemble," he complained.
He added that the sect would continue to hold demonstrations throughout the country to express its support for candidates it supported in the General Election.
Mr Maina said this year's elections should focus on personalities instead of political parties.