A college student arrested near Dedan Kimathi University with suspected explosive devices has been set free.
Nyeri Chief Magistrate Wendy Kagendo ordered the release of Bruce Ndegwa on Tuesday after the prosecution failed to establish he had committed an offence.
A medical examination also showed that Ndegwa has schizophrenia, a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.
Medical documents presented in court showed that the suspect sought treatment at Canopy Hope Counselling in September 2017. He is said to have a history of hallucinations and inconsistent flow of thought.
The report also showed consistency with a substance-induced disorder and symptoms of residual schizophrenia – a type of schizophrenia where a person displays mostly the negative symptoms of the mental disorder.
The medical examination was ordered when Ndegwa was arraigned in Court on Monday, 18, three days after his arrest on Friday, 15, February 2019.
The mental assessment was conducted by two psychiatrists at Nyeri County Referral Hospital in the presence of an officer from the Director of Public Prosecution.
In her ruling, Chief Magistrate Wendy Kagendo told Ndegwa he would be on probation for two years.
“The suspect is released from custody and the mother of the accused should ensure he gets proper medication,” she said.
Ndegwa is a Tourism and Hospitality student at Nyeri National Polytechnic. His colleagues described him as an introvert who is known for skipping classes.
They said the third year student dropped out of college in 2017 before resuming studies last year.
