Sonko to spend two more days in detention

Former Nairobi County Governor Mike Sonko, who was charged on Tuesday at a Kiambu court, will spend two more days at the Gigiri police station cells. 

Sonko was charged with forcible entry of property in Buruburu Phase Four and nine counts of assault causing bodily harm. He denied the charges but the prosecution argued that he should be denied bail.

Senior Counsel John Khaminwa, Assa Nyakundi and Danstan Omari represented the former Nairobi Governor. 

According to Chief Inspector Geoffrey Ndatho's affidavit, the offence occurred on May 25, 2019, at LR NRB block 78/863 at Kamukunji subcounty in Nairobi county.

The affidavit was presented before the court headed by Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Atambo. 

The court heard that while he was the Nairobi Governor, Sonko left his office at City Hall and went to Buruburu Phase Four accompanied by youths whom under his utterances committed the offences.

Sonko is being investigated for other criminal offences within the country, Ndatho added. 

According to him, the former Nairobi Governor has contact with the Nairobi residents and he can interfere with the witnesses.

The court also heard that Sonko is highly likely to abscond court attendance, learning that he has been charged with a serious offence and if found guilty he shall be sentenced to serve a custodial sentence. 

It was also stated that the former governor is highly likely to interfere and intimidate key prosecution witness if released on bail as other perpetrators believed to be his followers are still at large. 

Furthermore, the court heard that he can interfere with ongoing investigations since he has a lot of influence in Nairobi County. 

"There is a likelihood of Sonko or his followers directly or indirectly to interfere with key witnesses if he is released on bail," the court was told.

The court was also told that  Sonko was charged in Mombasa chief magistrate court criminal case No. 275 of 2001. 

He failed to attend court  after obtaining anticipatory bail in Nairobi high court application No. 244 of 2001.