This archive report was first published on 7 November 2019.
On November 6, 2019, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko paid a Sh100,000 cash bail for each of four aides who were arrested and charged with various crimes.
However, the aides - John Abok, Joseph Mwangi, Kennedy Odhiambo, and Richard Bosire - were immediately rearrested as they emerged from the basement cells of the Milimani Law Courts.
Their re-arrest sparked confusion and raised questions about the treatment of the governor's aides by the authorities.
Earlier that day, the four had been arraigned in court and charged with wilfully resisting arrest during a chaotic date with the anti-graft agency on Tuesday.
They also faced a second charge of taking part in an unlawful assembly and a third charge of creating disturbance at Nairobi's Integrity Centre by shouting at police officers and using demeaning language.
According to the prosecution, the four aides had repulsed a move by five police officers to arrest them, with one of them allegedly saying, "you fools shoot us," to the police officers.
However, a defence lawyer applied for their release on bond, stating that they were part of a large crowd that escorted Governor Mike Sonko to record a statement at the Integrity Centre.
The court eventually ruled that each of the four suspects be admitted to a cash bail of Sh100,000, with the case set to be heard on December 2, 2019.
