High Court Judge Jessie Lessit has revealed the measures she considers before awarding suspects in her cases bail or bond.
The judge, who is tasked with handling Okoth Obado’s case involving the murder of Sharon Otieno, stated that she considers the safety of the victims, the security concerns involved and the flight risk nature of the applicant.
Speaking at a hotel in Kisumu on Thursday, Lessit explained that the safety of victims, in any case, is paramount and that judges only grant bail after they are satisfied this will be upheld.
The safety aspect extends to both the victims and the accused, “It is a very serious matter to release an accused person when his life is at risk. In the past, we have had cases where they have been murdered just hours after their release,” stated Lessit.
The no-nonsense judge further stated that an assessment in the likelihood of a suspect taking flight from the trial and avoiding sessions is necessary in the decision making process.
In some instances, the accused have been asked to hand in their passports to the police in order to ensure that they do not leave the country before their trial has been concluded.
The judge had denied Migori Governor Okoth Obado bail in the first application due to security reasons in his county raised by the prosecution. She, however, released him on Ksh5 million bond on Wednesday.
Obado’s lawyer Cliff Ombeta revealed that the judge has amassed respect and fear from lawyers around the city because of her stern rulings.
She once handed a death sentence to a Lang’ata prisoner Ruth Kamande stating that it was important that young people realised killing a boyfriend or girlfriend is “not cool.”
Judge Lessit is the head of Milimani High Court Criminal Division and also the chairperson of the Bail and Bond Implementation Committee with a career spanning 30 years.
