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Friday, July 21, 2023 –Courts have freed Embakasi East Member of Parliament Paul Ongili or Babu Owino who was arrested with six others.
Following fight by his lawyers, he was today Friday July 21, freed on a sh 100,000 cash bail in a subversion case which was filed by the prosecution on Thursday July 20 afternoon.
It was found that the prosecution side lacked enough details to compel the court to take action on the legislator. The court established the there was not presented a compelling case on the MP and the six co-accused.
“A holistic look at the affidavit does not disclose compelling reasons to deny the accused persons bond, each of the accused persons is granted bond of sh 200,000 with an alternative cash bail of Sh100,000,” the magistrate ruled.
The accused persons who included opposition activist Calvin Okoth or Gaucho were presented in court on Thursday and charged with subversion.
For instance, Gaucho, together with friends, stirred an online backlash after slaughtering a goat in full glare of cameras and licked its raw blood while daring government officials he accused of threatening Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
“Kama unajuwa hujui kushika panga vizuri ukae kwako. Watu wakutane kesho… watu wakutane kesho… mtu akigusa Raila, atajua hajui,” Gaucho said in the video as he licked fresh blood off a sharpened knife.
He took this street oath on Tuesday, a day before the planned resumption of anti-government protests called by Odinga.
Appearing in court on Thursday, the State challenged a bid by lawyers representing the accused persons to have them released on bail citing national security concerns.
Lawyers representing the seven accused persons contested the State’s objection decrying the arbitrary detention of their clients against the 240hour timelines.
The lawyers cited Article 49 of the Constitution (2010) which requires the State to produce arrested persons in court “as soon as reasonably possible, but not later than– (i) twenty-four hours after being arrested”.
At some point early today Friday, police roughed up journalists covering Babu Owino’s bail ruling at Milimani Law Courts.
