Narok, Kenya: Narok Senator Stephen Ole Ntutu and four MPs were released on a personal bond of Sh500,000 each after the prosecution made a hasty retreat and withdrew an application seeking to have them detained for seven days to allow police complete investigations over alleged incitement.
Ntutu and MPs Moitalel Kenta (Narok North), KoreiLemein (Narok South), Patrick Ntutu (Narok West) and Johana Ngeno (EmurwaDikir) were arrested on Wednesday evening and locked up at Muthaiga Police Station cells.
Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Enock Cherono directed the five to report to CID Headquarters once a week until February 13, when they will appear in court for further directions. Mr Cherono directed them to desist from acts that may lead to breach of peace, noting that the situation in Narok was volatile at the moment.
The five were brought to Milimani Law Courts yesterday morning after spending a night at Muthaiga Police Station. They were arrested when they received a call to go and record statements in relation to the chaos that rocked Narok town on Monday, leaving two people dead.
Business came to a standstill as supporters of the legislators thronged courtrooms. Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader Raila Odinga accompanied by co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka spent the better part of the morning at the courtrooms as the lawyers of the five sought to secure their release; after they were admitted to bail.
The prosecution urged the court not to release the suspects on bail and detain them for a further seven days to allow investigations.
However, Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko, who arrived in the courtroom amid the proceedings told the court that he sought to withdraw the application due to the tension that was in the town yesterday; after residents blocked the busy Narok-Bomet Highway.
CONDONE GRAFT
Tobiko said investigations into the incident were ongoing and there was a likelihood to prefer severe charges against the suspects. “We have just received information of what is going on in Narok. It is wrong for any party to take the law on their own hands. We require two weeks to wrap up probe so as to establish the kind of charges the suspects are likely to face. We do not oppose release of the accused on bail but I urge the court to release the suspects subject to stringent conditions by the court,” said the DPP.
He said EACC and other State agencies were on the ground probing the alleged financial malpractices and very soon, the investigators are going to forward the file to his office with a view to prosecute those involved in the alleged scam.
“We are aware that the underlying reasons given by the suspects and their supporters for the Monday incident are allegations of corruption taking place in the administration of the Narok County government, specifically the governor. I direct that investigations be fast-tracked and the file be forwarded to my office immediately,” Tobiko said. “My office does not condone corruption and should there be evidence, not even the governor or those concerned will be spared,” he added.
Earlier, State counsels Daniel Karori and Dancun Ondimu had made an application seeking to have the legislators detained for seven days, saying they were likely to face murder charges alongside incitement to violence. “We require seven more days to complete forensic investigations with a view to preferring serious charges including murder and the said investigations are likely to take longer,” Mr Karori told court.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
join