Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has been admitted to bail after spending five nights in police custody following his arrest over graft.
Milimani Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti granted Sonko Ksh15 million cash bail or Ksh30 million bond or surety of a similar amount.
Sonko, who was further barred from accessing his office, is required to deposit his passport in the court.
“If need be he can be escorted to his office by the investigating officer or any other authorised officer to enable him pick his belongings, ” said Justice Ogoti while quoting High Court Judge Mumbi Ngugi’s ruling that governors accused of corruption and abuse of office be barred from office until their cases are heard and determined.
The magistrate directed Sonko to ensure his supporters don’t cause unrest or cause “disruption to any known legal process that would disrupt peace in any form”.
Read: Sakaja, Activist Boniface Mwangi In War Of Words Over Sonko ‘Humiliating’ Arrest
The governor and his eight co-accused were also barred from communicating with witnesses in the case.
In his ruling, Ogoti stated that he had reviewed applications by the prosecution and the defence and was convinced that the accused met the threshold stipulated on bail admission guidelines.
Sonko, who was recently admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) after falling ill at Kamiti prison, was on Monday arraigned at Milimani Law Courts where he pleaded not guilty to 19 counts of graft charges. He is accused of misappropriating Ksh357 million from the county coffers.
Sonko’s legal team pleaded with the anti-graft court to release the governor on bail saying he needed urgent medical attention.
Read Also: Sonko Rushed To Kenyatta National Hospital Moments After Checking Into Kamiti Prison
The prosecution, however, opposed to Sonko’s release on bail arguing that he will interfere with witnesses.
Citing a 1997 case involving Sonko, the prosecution argued that the governor should not be released on bail as he is accused of escaping Shimo La Tewa prison after he feigned illness.
Sonko’s lawyer Cecil Miller dismissed the claims saying if the governor had a pending criminal case, authorities couldn’t have cleared him to run for a government position.
“The police, EACC cleared him to run as MP, Senator and even Governor. If he was a prison escapee, how could this have happened? There is neither a pending case nor a warrant of arrest against Sonko,” he stated.
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