A case in which 5 Chinese nationals were arrested with illegal gambling machines in Nakuru has been differed to February 17 to allow an interpreter.

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The legal counsel for the 5 accused informed the court that the proceedings cannot go on since the Chinese nationals do not understand either English or Kiswahili.

The counsel prayed that the court allows the suspects to be out on bond as they await an interpreter.

The prayer was granted by Principal Magistrate Bernard Mararo who ordered that the 5 be released on a cash bail of Sh10,000 each.

The court also directing the prosecution to get in touch with the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi so that an interpreter can be availed for the hearing of the matter on February 17.

Nakuru County Police Commander Stephen Matu had led the operation in December last year where police confiscated 169 gambling machines in a house that was rented by the Chinese men.

“We received a tip-off from an informer at about 4 pm that some Chinese were doing illegal business of assembling gaming machines and we swung into action and arrested the five suspects,” said Mr Matu.

The illegal machines went through the port of Mombasa and finally landed in Nakuru in unclear circumstances. However, Mr Matu said police have launched investigations to establish how they were cleared at the port of Mombasa.

According to the police, immigration documents of the Chinese nationals indicated that they were aged between 30 and 51 years. 

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