Prison officials held accountable for holding released man

A Milimani court has ordered a senior prisons officer to free a suspect immediately.

This was after Abel Ondieki, the suspect, wrote to the court complaining against his continued incarceration despite being released on bond and bail on January 4.

Mr Ondieki had been arrested for obtaining money through false pretense and was set free on bond and bail, which he paid. However, Industrial Area Remand Prison did not set him free.

His lawyer, Harun Ndubi, in the letter addressed to the chief magistrate criminal division, complained that authorities at Industrial Area Remand had declined to set his client free.

Mr Ndubi said the prison authorities, in collusion with the complainant, and citing administrative procedures, had incarcerated Ondieki unjustifiably.

Paul Sang, the Superintendent of prisons in charge of records, cited protocol and administrative procedures in the prison for Ondieki’s continued incarceration.