Ruaraka MP out on Sh50,000 bail until February 7

Makueni MP Dan Maanzo and Agness Zani address media outside Milimani court. The duo had come to show solidarity with Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang. [Photo by George Njunge/Standard]

Ruaraka MP Tom Kajwang was released yesterday without being charged.

After spending a night in police cells, the MP, who was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the 'swearing-in' of NASA's Raila Odinga, was brought to the Milimani Law Courts and kept waiting in the basement cells for more than five hours before being whisked away.

He was then taken to the Ngong Law Courts, where he was presented before Magistrate Laureen Ogombo.

The police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had sought to charge Mr Kajwang with the offence of administering an oath to commit a capital offence of treason.

The charge sheet read that on January 30 at Uhuru Park, Kajwang was present and administered an oath to Raila as the 'people’s president', which made the National Super Alliance leader commit an offence of treason.

He was also to be charged with participating in an illegal assembly not authorised by the Nairobi police commandant on Tuesday.

However, a team of more than 10 lawyers lead by Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, Senator Mutula Kilonzo, Nelson Havi, Dan Maanzo, and Peter Kaluma disputed the charge sheet, saying it was defective.

The magistrate allowed a plea to defer plea-taking to February 7 and released Kajwang’ on a cash bail of Sh50,000.