Jeff Koinange arrested for contempt of court, released on Sh100, 000 cash bail

From left christine murai,Jeff Koinange and Liz Njuguna during the launch of Jeff Koinange's book themed ‘Through My African Eyes’ at the safaricom michael joseph center.The book seeks to demystify the award winning journalist by telling his story right from birth to his growing up and explains some of the decisions he made in life while working as a journalist. [PHOTO DAVID GICHURU/STANDARD]

Media personality Jeff Koinange was yesterday released on a Sh100 000 cash bail hours after his arrest.

The magistrate's court released Mr Koinange (left) after heated arguments between Kwacha Group of Companies lawyer and his lawyer on the legality of the arrest orders issued last week.

According to the renowned journalist, the orders were not served to him as the court had ordered.

Lawyer Edwin Sifuna, who appeared for Koinange yesterday, argued that the contempt orders never reached his client, adding that he learned about the same through the media.

"Contempt orders ought to be served individually. My client was never served with the orders and thus he was not aware of the said orders," Mr Sifuna said.

Sifuna added that Jeff had moved to the High Court seeking a review of the orders on grounds that the lower court had overstepped its mandate when it issued the warrant of arrest.

In the High Court Mr Koinange and Tony Gachoka argued that the lower court has no powers to entertain contempt cases and that the orders were obtained through falsehood.

The two journalists told High Court Judge Weldon Korir that the complainants in the case, Kwacha Group of Companies director Jimmy Wanjigi had concealed to the magistrate that he had a similar dormant case in the upper court. The case before justice Korir will be heard today.