This archive report was first published on 9 December 2019.
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has been remanded at the Industrial Area Remand Prison pending a ruling on his bail application.
On December 9, 2019, Chief Magistrate directed that Sonko be remanded until December 11, 2019, when the court will rule on whether to grant him and his co-accused bail.
The Governor and his co-accused will be held at the Industrial Area Remand Prison due to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) cells having no capacity to accommodate all the accused persons.
The prosecution led by James Kihara opposed the release of Sonko on bail, citing that he is a flight risk, likely to abscond court, intimidate witnesses, and interfere with investigations.
Additionally, the prosecution sought orders barring Sonko and other public officers from accessing their offices pending hearing and determination of the case.
They also wanted the accused persons barred from contacting, intimidating witnesses or investigators, as well as depositing their passports with the court.
Sonko and 11 others were charged with several counts of corruption relating to irregular payment of sh. 357.3 million, which they all denied.
Magistrate Ogoti approved Sonko's admission to hospital, to be certified by the prisons medical centre in the presence of his physician.
