Muthama blocked from seeing Sonko at Gigiri police station

 

A team of politicians led by former Senator Johnson Muthama have been stopped from seeing former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko at Gigiri police station.

The politicians had arrived at the station on Friday afternoon but were left stranded at the entrance after the police denied to give them access to see Sonko.

Sonko will spend the weekend in police custody ahead of two rulings on his release next week.

This was after a court at Kamiti prisons that was hearing an application by the prosecution to hold him for 30 days differed the ruling to February 9.

That is the same day a Kiambu court is expected to make a ruling on his bail application in an assault case he is also facing.

Kahawa West chief magistrate Diana Kavedza ordered that Sonko be detained at Gigiri police cells ahead of her ruling.

His defense team opposed the application by the prosecution citing contempt of court and jurisdiction of the matter.

This is because the officers had driven with him to the Kahawa West court instead of Gigiri police cells as had earlier been directed.

The lawyers led by John Khaminwa, Assa Nyakundi, Evans Ondieki and Alfred Nyamu said the move by police amounted to abuse of power.

Khaminwa tabled several books on law asking the magistrate to read them as he argued for the release of Sonko.

Kavedza said she agreed with Khaminwa that terrorism is not a simple case and there will be confusion if the case proceeds before the Kiambu court makes a ruling on bail applied for by the accused in a different matter.