Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa on Wednesday, March 11 told the court that he has been forced to resort to walking and taking public transport after his vehicles were impounded by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
Echesa's lawyer, Bryan Khaemba, petitioned the court to have the CS's Range Rover car, plate registration number KCR 786H released to him.
He alleged that since his car was confiscated on March 2, he had been subjected to public embarrassment. Echesa had listed the DCI as respondents in his case.
“The respondents’ continued confiscation of the vehicle has subjected me to embarrassment and loss of dignity because I am now forced to use public transport, and even sometimes travel on foot,” Echesa's application read in part.
He argued that he had not through fraud as alleged by the DCI.
“The respondents are required by law to protect my dignity. They have, however, subjected my car to vandalism and rot where it is impounded at the DCI headquarters,” Echesa argued.
Through his lawyer, the former Sports CS attached documents to prove he is the legal owner of the Ksh23 million vehicle, allegedly indicating he had purchased the car from Qutbi Investment Limited in Nairobi.
The agreement documents indicated that Echesa made an initial Ksh10 million payment to the dealer's account and a subsequent similar amount before he was fully awarded ownership.
With the car's value at Ksh23 million, the remainder was spread across five months. Echesa was officially given the car on September 4, 2018.
Echesa also petitioned the court to direct the DCI to release his guns, alleging that his life could be on the line, and needed to boost his security.
Milimani Principal Magistrate set the hearing for March 23, after the prosecution confirmed receiving a copy of the application.
