Brian Bera reemerges, speaks out two weeks after State House incident

Brian Kibet Bera, the university student who was shot and injured after he jumped over the State House fence was on Wednesday arraigned in court.

Magistrate Francis Andayi directed that he remain in custody at the Kilimani Police Station until Thursday when the case will be mentioned.

Also Read: Inside the disturbing Facebook timeline of State House fence jumper

The Prosecution had sought to have the suspect taken to Mathare Hospital for mental assessment before taking plea.

“It is only just and fair that he be taken to the facility and only until he is fully recovered when he can take the plea,” said the Prosecution team.

They are also seeking to have him remanded at Directorate of Criminal Investigations police station.

However, Bera’s lawyer objected to the application saying that a report from Kenyatta National Hospital indicated that his client suffers from mental illness and is therefore not fit to take plea.

The suspect’s father, David Bera, who was present in court, also pleaded for his son to be released into his custody.

The older Bera narrated how his son had stopped taking his prescribed medication which according to him is the reason why he jumped into State House.

He further told the court how in January 2018, his son walked for one day from Kitale to West Pokot.

“In February instead of coming home, he went to Mt. Kenya where he got arrested. The third incident happened in June 2018 again, when he walked from Kitale at 4am on foot all the way to Athi River for four days. We were able to get him and was admitted for two weeks where he was diagnosed with the disorder by a psychiatrist and from there he has improved a lot and as a family we were relieved,” the father said.

The court also heard how Bera requested to go back to school and after the family decided to take him back, he still managed an exemplary performance  in his exams.

Bera, a 5th-year University Engineering student at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology (JKUAT) is reported to have sat his exams in March 2019 and passed all the units.

“My request is for the court to allow me as his father to take him to hospital…it might take a long time for him to recover but detaining him in police custody will not help his condition,” the father pleaded.

The young Bera also addressed the court saying his incarceration had taught him a lesson and offered assurance that he would not repeat the mistake again.

He further pleaded for forgiveness from President Uhuru Kenyatta and all Kenyans to forgive him.

“ … If they take me to Mathare it will be a punishment…I request that you forgive me …I will be like people of the New Testament,” he said.

Magistrate Andayi acknowledged the plight of Bera’s family but said the decision to release him rests with the police.

“This is an issue that requires more of family assistance than taking him to Mathare. Mzee Kibet you go to police station where you will have a discussion. If the police think they can release him the court will have no issue but if they say they take him to Mathare then we have no option,” directed Magistrate Andayi.

Bera was shot and injured on June 10, 2019 after he jumped over State House Gate B.

It is alleged that he drew out a knife prompting the officers to open fire.

A post on his Facebook page revealed that he had been planning to jump into State House three days before he executed his plan.