Nairobi, Kenya - The suspected leader of the outlawed Mungiki sect, John Maina Njenga, was charged in court on Thursday.
Njenga, said to be the sect's national chairman, appeared before Nairobi Chief Magistrate Aggrey Muchelule to answer charges of being in illegal possession of a firearm and drug trafficking. He denied the charges.
It was alleged that last February 2 at Zambia area in Ngong, Kajiado District, he was found in possession of a pistol without a firearm certificate.
Njenga was also allegedly found in possession of cannabis sativa (bhang) with a street value of Sh1,220.
The prosecution urged the court to deny the accused bail, saying he had been on the run since last November.
Police arrested him at his home in Ngong last week. About 100 officers descended on the house at 5 am and found him asleep.
"The investigating officer has sworn an affidavit stating that the accused has been on the run since November 16, yet he knew police were looking for him in connection with another criminal case," the prosecutor, police superintendent Stephen Chacha, said.
Chacha said Njenga had another case where a warrant of arrest had been issued against him.
"Since December 9, 2005, Mr Njenga's lawyer had been informed by police of his client's arrest warrant but the accused made no effort to present himself before court until his recent arrest," he said.
But Njenga asked the court to grant him bail, saying he would present himself to the court whenever required.
He claimed that police planted a gun in his house after failing to recover any after a two-hour search.
Njenga also claimed that police took Sh470,000 from him during the arrest, which were proceeds from the sale of grains.
As a result, his sisters and cousins had not reported back to school because the money was meant to pay their fees, he said.
Muchelule will deliver his ruling on the bail application on Wednesday.
Police have launched a fresh crackdown on Mungiki followers, who are still believed to be engaged in subversive activities.
Last month, suspected members of the sect shot and injured two senior police officers during a protest by matatu operators in the city.