Nineteen people will spend the night at Lang'ata police station awaiting the decision of the court on whether or not they will be detained in police custody for 14 days.
The suspects were arrested on March 1, at Gathondia Village within Naivasha for allegedly damaging a fence belonging to Eburru Hills Farm Limited.
They are believed to have on February 29, at around 1 pm, maliciously damaged the farm's barbed concrete pole fence valued at Sh2,285,000.
On Tuesday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations appeared before Milimani Law Courts Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe praying for 14 days to detain the suspects pending conclusion of investigations into the offence.
The investigating officer John Kinyongie of DCI Naivasha told the court that the matter has elicited community outrage.
"There has been a lot of public outrage with some members of the public trying to storm the police station at Naivasha Sub County to rescue the respondents and consequently remove them from safe custody and avert the due process of the law," Kinyongie's affidavit reads in part.
He further stated that investigations were still ongoing and that they needed to record statements from relevant witnesses.
He also said they need time to assess the damage to the properties, get the ownership details and have the mobile data analysis conducted to the suspects.
The court heard that from the interrogation conducted so far, the persons have no known fixed abode.
Further, there is a suspicion that they might regroup and commit the offences afresh should the court dismiss the application to detain them.
Kinyongie wants the court to order their detained at Naivasha Police Station.
Opposing the application, Lawyer Mbugua Mureithi representing the suspects accused the police of using land grabbers and politicians to punish innocent citizens.
He poked holes into their decision to seek for directions at Milimani Law Courts as opposed to Naivasha Law Courts where there is jurisdiction to decide the application.
Shikwe ordered the 19 to be held at Langata police station until Wednesday when he will issue orders on whether or not they will be detained for the days sought.
They include Ruth Wangui Mwangi, David Mwaura Wanjiru, Eliud Kinyanjui Mungai, John Maina Ngugi, Julius Kinyua John, Elijah Mugwe Ndenderu, Hiram Ngatia Ndirangu.
Others are Alvin Kamano Ngugi, Ann Wanjiku, Daniel Njogu Njuguna, George Kimani Thuku, Paul Maina, Benjamin Ndirangu Mwangi, James Ngugi Nganga and Joseph Macharia Mwaura.
