Kisumu-based Human Rights Activist Boniface Ogutu Akatch’s case has been adjourned for the third time.
This, however, continues to raise new concerns over the prolonged delay in the corridors of justice.
The Kisumu Law Court, sitting on Wednesday, May 14th, scheduled the next hearing for June 18, 2025, at 11:30 a.m.
The prosecutorial team is expected to present two remaining witnesses.
During the court proceedings, a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer from the Central Police Station testified, detailing the events leading to Akatch’s arrest.
The detective further narrated how the activist was transferred from the Railways Police Station in Kisumu to Vihiga County, where he recorded a statement.
“He was later taken to the hospital to examine his health conditions before being returned to police custody,” he said.
According to the officer, the detour to Vihiga was necessary after police determined that Kisumu was unsafe at the time.
The protesters, he stated, were allegedly trailing the officers transporting Akatch.
Speaking to the press outside the court, Dorcas Akinyi, Chairperson of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Kisumu Chapter and Lead Counsel for Akatch, castigated security agencies for what she termed “trumped-up charges.”
This, Akinyi said, includes wild accusations of having a cache of firearms and ammunition.
“This is a message to security agents across the country — let us uphold the rule of law,” she stressed.
Lawyer Akinyi emphasised that: “We must only prosecute when there’s credible evidence. Anything else is a miscarriage of justice.”
Gen-Z Uprisings
Mr Akatch was arrested in mid-2024 at the height of the Gen-Z-led protests.
He was accused of barricading the Patel Roundabout along the Kisumu–Kakamega Road.
The protests, driven by widespread frustration over governance and police conduct, saw dozens of youths arrested countrywide.
In a show of solidarity, Akatch’s ardent supporters converged outside the court after his case was adjourned.
Although Akatch did not address the media after the adjournment, he had previously decried his arrest as political persecution for opposing police brutality in society.
“For nearly a year, I’ve been dragged through the court system in what I see as an attempt to silence me,” he said.
“But, this isn’t just about me, it’s about all of us who stand up to resist injustice meted out. Picketing isn’t a crime, it’s enshrined in Article 37 of the Kenyan Constitution (2010).”
Akatch concluded with a poignant message to his supporters: “Bravery has never been a crime.”
