This archive report was first published on 4 November 2019.
Kenya: Babu Owino Calls for Jowie's Bail Release ¶
Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has joined the chorus calling for the release of Joseph Irungu, alias Jowie, on bail. Jowie is currently being held at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison over the murder of Monica Kimani.
Owino argues that Jowie should only be imprisoned if proven guilty of the murder charge. He claims that the judiciary is being unfair by denying Jowie bail while other suspects facing similar charges are walking free.
Notably, Migori governor Okoth Obado, who is being tried for the murder of university student Sharon Otieno, is out on bail, as is Sarah Wairimu, accused of murdering her husband Tob Cohen.
Owino accuses the courts of not exercising equity in handling all cases, citing the following points:
- When Governor Obado was alleged to have murdered, he was given a cash bail/bond term.
- When Sarah Wairimu was alleged to have murdered Cohen, she was released on cash bail/bond.
- Jowie should be given cash bail/bond term by the judiciary and, when found guilty, be jailed.
- Marxism's of law is that Equity is equality.
- He who comes to Equity must come with clean hands.
- Is it because Jowie is poor that he is being frustrated by the Rich judiciary?
A section of Kenyans on social media has also backed Owino's position on Jowie's detention.
High court judge, Justice James Wakiaga, had denied Jowie bail, ruling that he would remain in custody pending trial, citing that the suspect had no assets in the country and thus posed a flight risk.
Maribe, Jowie's former fiancée, was released on a Sh1 million cash bail with an option of a Sh.2 million bond, with a surety of a similar amount.
