Court releases Dennis Itumbi on Sh100,000 cash bail

Dennis Itumbi at Milimani Law Court in Nairobi on Thursday, July 04, 2019. (File, Standard)

A  Nairobi court has released the ex-State House media man Dennis Itumbi on Sh100,000 cash bail.

Senior Magistrate Zainabu Abdul on Wednesday ruled that the police had squandered days given for further investigations.

The prosecution was seeking to detain him for nine more days to allow police time to continue interrogating the 256 Tangatanga WhatsApp group members.

Itumbi is alleged to have shared the letter alleging Deputy President William Ruto’s assignation plot in the WhatsApp group.

Defence lawyers led by Katwa Kigen, on the other hand, wanted Itumbi’s sim card, phone and power bank released.

The prosecution said it will release the power bank and retain his sim card and the phone until they receive a forensic report.

But the magistrate ordered them to give back his mobile phone, power bank and sim card after nine days.

Itumbi who has been in police custody for a week, entered the courtroom in a jovial mood, carrying a book titled When Breath Becomes Air, probably anticipating for his release.

He was arrested on Wednesday last week for allegedly uttering an alarmist false document.

The document in question is a letter purportedly addressed to the President detailing allegations of plans to assassinate Deputy President William Ruto.

Mr Itumbi was the State House Digital Director in the Communications Department until he moved over to DP Ruto's office.