A suspect in the attack of three Kilifi based journalists was on Monday arraigned in a Kilifi court.

Mohamed Mubarak Juma was charged with the offence of malicious damage contrary to section 339(1) of the penal code.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges before Kilifi Senior Principal Magistrate Justus Kituku.

The court heard the accused, on 23 December at Karisa Maitha grounds damaged a camera make Canon 600D worth Ksh 91, 000 belonging to Elias Yaa.

He was released on a bond of Ksh 30, 000 with a surety of a similar amount or a cash bail of Ksh 20, 000.

The case will be mentioned of 30 January and hearing on 4th May.

The three journalists, Elias Yaa (The Star), Daniel Peshu (NTV) and Maureen Ongala (Daily Nation) were covering a peaceful demonstration at the Karisa Maitha grounds.

A section of Kilifi residents were demonstrating against the hiring of two brothers by the county government of Kilifi.

Trouble started when Nixon Muramba, the acting chief of staff in the office of Governor Gideon Mung’aro arrived at the Karisa Maitha grounds with a rival group.

The Kilifi county head of inspectorate and other officers from the office of the governor accompanied Mramba.

One of the officers asked the organizers of the protests to come forward and explain to the chief of staff their grievances.

Mramba later took over to address the protestors but he was cut short by his group who took him off the venue and ordered everyone including journalists to vacate the area.

The group went ahead and started to tear the placards from the protestors and started attacking journalists who were taking photos.

The rival group is believed to be part of a political pressure group known as Kikosi cha mizinga.