The suspects were arraigned before Senior Resident Magistrate Dorcas Endoo, where they faced charges linked to the demonstrations that disrupted transport operations and business activities in parts of the county.
During the court session, defence lawyer Jackson Kala sought to stop the suspects from taking plea, arguing that the charge sheets presented before court were defective and legally insufficient.
Kala urged the court to reject the charges, maintaining that the prosecution had failed to properly frame the offences against the accused persons. However, the court dismissed the application and directed the protesters to take plea.
The accused persons were charged with road encroachment contrary to the Traffic Act and conspiracy to commit a misdemeanour.
Following the plea-taking process, the magistrate granted each suspect release on a cash bail of Ksh.5,000 pending further directions on the case.
The court also ordered the accused to return on June 3, 2026, for mention of the matter before appearing again on July 2, 2026, when the hearing of the case is expected to begin after directions are issued.
The arrests followed two days of demonstrations and a matatu strike in Machakos sparked by public anger over rising fuel prices.
Transport operations in some areas were paralysed as protesters blocked roads and demanded government intervention to address the increasing cost of living.
According to defence lawyers, the number of people arrested during the protests was significantly higher than those presented in court.
The lawyers said at least 200 protesters were arrested across Machakos during the demonstrations, raising concerns over the scale of the police operation conducted during the unrest.
Families and friends of the accused gathered outside the courthouse as proceedings continued, with many expressing relief after the court approved bail terms that allowed the suspects to return home.
Human rights observers and legal representatives have continued monitoring the cases, arguing that citizens have a constitutional right to demonstrate peacefully, even as authorities maintain that public order must be protected during protests.