A court in Mombasa on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for 10 people charged alongside MRC leader Omar Mwamnuadzi.
The group was expected in court for a session where Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko was to table a report on the MRC leader’s whereabouts.
They included Bakari Swaleh, Mwandoro Ndurya, Salim Mohammed, Said Mwaria, Said Mwaguya among others.
Resident magistrate Viola Yator issued the warrant of arrest even as the case was adjourned since the trial magistrate was away.
Trial magistrate Francis Kyambia was said to be on a paternity leave.
Mwamnuadzi was last seen in public when he appeared in a Kwale court in February 2016 for the hearing of a criminal case.
He was arrested in January 2016 at his Ng’ombeni home and charged in court for allegedly being found with Sh210,000.
Police believed the cash was part of proceeds from recruitment of members into the outlawed group.
He was charged, alongside 38 other MRC adherents, with being in possession of dangerous weapons.
Mwamnuadzi’s warrant for his arrest was issued in October last year after he failed to appear before a Mombasa court.
On Monday, state prosecutor Yamina Jami told the court that the accused had skipped sessions intentionally.
He told the court that the purpose of the case was to receive a report from Sonko.
The Senator secured a surety for Mwamnuadzi and other accused persons in three different cases.
Sonko’s lawyer Jared Magolo told the court that the findings of Mwamnuadzi whereabouts ought to be tabled before a trial magistrate.
“We request for an adjournment until the trial magistrate is back,” Magolo told the court.
Last year, the Nairobi senator told the court that Mwamnuadzi might have been killed.
Sonko, however, said the MRC leader’s family believe he is seeking refuge in Tanzania.
He said they were yet to verify whether he was in the neighbouring country or not.
Sonko asked the court to grant him more time to complete investigations and compile a report before the same is presented before the court.
However, the trial magistrate said the murder allegations by Sonko were not in court records and should be first probed.
©Alleastafrica and The-star
