Chinese face court charges
Forty Chinese accused of operating telecommunication equipment illegally will be charged on Tuesday. Resident magistrate Miriam Peter Mugure last Friday rescheduled plea-taking for the men after a translation hitch.
An embassy representative had protested against the proceedings going on without a translator from the embassy.
The men already have a lawyer, Ian Maina, and a translator was in court at the time but the Chinese officials insisted that it was necessary that one with instructions from the embassy be present.
“In light of the objection raised by the representative from the embassy, it is appropriate for this matter to be deferred to a later date,” the magistrate said.
CYBER CRIME
The court had earlier been told that there were indications the accused could plead guilty to operating radio communication equipment without a license.
The 40 are still being held at Gigiri Police Station. Their demand in court came two days after eight cyber crime experts from China arrived in the country to help investigate the activities of the suspects who were arrested in Runda Estate on December 1.
The men’s arrest came after 37 other Chinese were apprehended following a fire at their residence.
They have already been charged and are being held at Industrial Area Prison awaiting the start of their trial on January 13, 2015.