Kenya violence accused to be taken for mental exam

A man who admitted two charges of arson and malicious damage to property during the post-election violence two years ago has been ordered to undertake psychiatrist test before he is returned to court on March 17.

Mr Clement Wafula had on Wednesday twice told Eldoret senior principal magistrate Anne Ung’inju that both charges were true.

Last Friday, Mr Wafula had pleaded with a Kapsabet court to hand him a life sentence, saying his life was in danger because of his role in the chaos.

That court’s senior magistrate, Mr Gerald Mutiso, ordered that he be accorded 24-hour police protection and be charged in Eldoret, and for police to investigate his claims that he took part in the violence.

Mr Wafula was charged jointly with others not in court that he set fire to a house at Road Block Estate in Eldoret Town on December 31, 2007.

The house, which belonged to Mr Leonard Gichora Kiiru, was valued at Sh7 million.

In the second count, he was accused of destroying three trucks, a video camera, two computers and a generator, all valued at Sh1.7 million.

Prosecutor Patrick Kuloba asked the court to have Mr Wafula undergo a psychiatric test.