Eight legislators of the Jubilee and CORD coalitions will remain in police custody until Friday, pending further investigations into remarks they made that were deemed inflammatory.
The eight include Members of Parliament Moses Kuria (Gatundu) Ferdinand Waititu (Kabete) Junet Mohamed (Suna East), Kimani Ngunjiri (Bahati), Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba), Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama, Busia Women Rep Florence Mutua and her Kilifi counterpart Aisha Jumwa.
The legislators, especially those of the CORD coalition were dramatically arrested on Tuesday morning before being arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts.
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Chief Magistrate Daniel Ogembo at around 7.30pm ruled that: “Owing to the ongoing incitement incidence, it is clear to the court that there are compelling reasons as to why the MPs should remain detained... Since investigations have not been completed and the Prosecution has said they require time, in the court’s view the suspects should remain in custody".
Ogembo said the suspects should be remanded at Kilimani, Muthaiga, Muthangari, and Gigiri police stations before police concluded investigations and present them to court.
As soon as the Magistrate made the ruling, the police officers immediately whisked the politicians to the cells next to the courtroom.
The eight lawmakers were denied bail after the Prosecution successfully argued that the suspects had to be locked up because, if set free, they would use their influence to interfere with investigations.
Prosecutor Leonard Maingi further submitted that the country was staring at election-related violence, yet some leaders had been fanning ethnic hatred through their utterances.
"The court should take judicial notice that as we approach elections next year incidences of hate speech, intolerance and outright incitement to violence are on the rise," Dr Maingi stated.
The court ruled that the rights of the politicians were outweighed by public interest and national security in the case.
The eight legislators are now staring at a Sh1 Million fine or a jail-term of up to three years if convicted.
