This archive report was first published on 11 December 2019.
On December 9, 2019, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko was taken to Kenyatta National Hospital after he reportedly fell ill while in police custody.
At the time, Sonko was being held at Industrial Area Remand Prison, pending a ruling on his bail application, which was set for December 11, 2019.
According to his lawyers, Sonko had sustained rib injuries during his arrest on December 6, 2019, and required urgent medical attention.
Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti directed that Sonko's admission to hospital be approved by prison authorities after an examination.
“Due to the urgency of the medical treatment of accused one (Mike Sonko), though disputed, it’s ordered that his admission to hospital will be certified by the prisons medical center in the presence of his physician in order to be escorted to any other hospital for his medical attention as soon as that can be arranged,” the magistrate noted.
Sonko was later moved to Kamiti Maximum Security Prison for a medical check-up before being taken to hospital.
He was charged with several counts of corruption relating to irregular payment of Sh357 million, alongside 11 co-accused, who all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
