This archive report was first published on 30 October 2019.
On October 24, 2019, a tip-off from concerned citizens led to the arrest of a bus driver, Stephen Mwendwa, in Embu. He was found hiding in a shopping centre with students from Siakago Boys and Thingingi Girls secondary schools.
The students were in possession of alcohol, cannabis, and Muguka. Mwendwa's bus was impounded, and he was charged with several counts of violating traffic regulations.
Appearing before Embu senior resident magistrate Jean Ndengeri, Mwendwa pleaded guilty to five counts. He was charged with driving without a PSV uniform, violating the Road Service License, and operating the bus with defective seat belts and missing windows.
Mwendwa claimed that the students had asked him to stop at a supermarket, and he had no control over what they consumed. However, he was sentenced to six years in jail or a fine of Sh105,000.
