- Two fourth-year university students face multiple charges relating to alleged possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
- One accused also faces a charge involving more than Sh2 million allegedly acquired through mobile money.
- Kithinji Njeru reports that both students denied the charges before an Eldoret court.
Two fourth-year university students have been charged before an Eldoret court over multiple offences relating to alleged possession, downloading and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
The accused are Eugene Kipruto Kangongo, a Mathematics and Physics student at Meru University of Science and Technology, and Manasseh Kiptanui Kosgei, a student at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology.
The prosecution alleges that the two committed the offences jointly with other individuals who were not before the court.
According to the charges, the alleged offences were committed between January 1, 2025, and August 16, 2026. The two are accused of conspiring to publish, distribute or otherwise disseminate material depicting children in sexually explicit acts.
Additional charges
They also face charges of knowingly possessing child sexual abuse material allegedly stored on an Infinix mobile phone.
The prosecution further alleges that the accused intentionally downloaded images and videos depicting minors using telecommunication devices.
Kangongo faces an additional charge relating to alleged acquisition of proceeds of crime amounting to more than Sh2 million through mobile money services, including M-Pesa.
The two denied all the charges when they appeared in court for plea-taking.
Through their lawyers, the accused asked the court to release them on reasonable bond terms, saying they are university students and wished to continue with their studies as the case proceeds.
Eldoret Principal Magistrate Caroline Wattimah declined to release the two on bond at this stage and ordered them to remain in custody while evidence is secured. The matter is scheduled for mention on October 13, 2026, for further directions.
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The charges remain allegations and the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
By Kithinji Njeru
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