Nairobi Governor Sonko has been freed on Ksh. 15million cash bail after spending five days in police custody.
Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti said bond can only be denied if there is high likelihood of interfering with witnesses.
He ruled that the Governor also deposit Ksh. 30million bond and not access his county office at City Hall.
The order also applies to county officials and if they need to access the offices they are to be escorted to office by investigating officers.
On the issue of Nairobi having no Deputy Governor, Ogoti said: “I leave the issue of deputy governor at that since this court has no powers to handle that as it was argued by the defense.”
Sonko was also ordered to refrain from commenting on the case on social media.
He and his co-accused are also to deposit their passports and other travel documents in court.
After the Magistrate completed his ruling, one of Sonko’s lawyer Cecil Miller sought to have him returned to Kenyatta National Hospital.
“The letter from Kenyatta hospital says Accused One is suffering from hypertension.. meaning he should be in hospital…We therefore urge the court to allow him to go back to hospital as we process the bail term as prescribed by the doctor….” he said.
Magistrate Ogoti then asked: “Why did you brought him to court with an ambulance?” to which lawyer Kipchumba Murkomen responded: “We did not want to take any chances.”
The lawyers further claimed that there were officers waiting to arrest Sonko outside the courtroom.
Chief Magistrate Ogoti responded saying: “Your fear was unfounded to bring the accused to court room sick since there is an order from a Machakos court that absence of an accused persons doesn’t not interfere with bail issuing to co-accused persons.”