Mike Sonko to Spend Five More Nights in Police Cells

Former Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko will spend five more nights in police custody after his bail ruling was deferred to next week.
 
The ruling, which was supposed to be issued on Thursday, was pushed to Tuesday to give the magistrate more time to compile the ruling. 

Sonko was on Tuesday charged with multiple counts of robbery with violence, assault causing actual bodily harm, and destruction of property.

The charges were in connection with an alleged forced entry into a private property in Nairobi’s Buruburu Phase 4 estate on May 25th, 2019.  

Kiambu senior principal magistrate, Stella Ataambo ordered Sonko to be detained at Gigiri police station pending the ruling on his bail application.

On Wednesday, Sonko was dramatically whisked away to Kamiti Maximum Security Prison for detention. Reports indicate he was later returned to Gigiri police station, where he was previously being held.

The State is seeking to detain Sonko for 30 days pending investigations into alleged terror links.

Chief Inspector Newton Thimangu from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) swore an affidavit claiming to be in possession of intelligence information showing that Sonko was recruiting a militia group to disrupt the peace and stability of the nation.

He is accused of procuring military attire linked to terrorist groups that pose a threat to the national security of the country.

“…the suspect has started arming his private security agents with full military attire namely military boots, military jungle uniform, and firearms,” reads the affidavit in part.

“The suspect who was in the company of an unknown person had worn militia attire and together with the suspect they were both spotted in public in the full glare of the media and in front of a huge mass of people in a public rally.”

“I have intelligence information that the suspect is connected to the financing of terrorism activities and he is in the advance stage of procuring arms and ammunition using a wide syndicate which is complex and sophisticated,” added Thimangu.