Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has finally been released after nearly a month behind bars.
A source close to the former Governor confirmed to Kenyans.co.ke that Sonko was released on a cash bail of Ksh500,000.
"He was just released on the cash bail but I am not sure if he was allowed to travel to South Africa on treatment," stated the representative.
The former governor, who is facing terror-related charges, pleaded not guilty and was released by Chief Magistrate Diana Mochache at Kahawa Law Courts.
Among the charges included financing terror activities and recruiting individuals to take part in terror activities.
“On or before January 1, 2021, at an unknown place within the Republic of Kenya, you (Mike Sonko) jointly with others not before Court knowingly recruited unknown persons to commit or participate in the commission of a terrorist act in contravention of the said Act,” read the charge sheet in part.
Another magistrate, Peter Ooko, had earlier been told that Sonko is mentally unfit to stand trial.
Sonko's lawyers argued that the former Nairobi County boss had been examined by a doctor at Aga Khan Hospital whose report indicated that Sonko was unfit to stand trial.
Although two medical reports presented before the magistrate indicated that Sonko had a bipolar mental disorder, Ooko stated that the court was yet to establish if he was unfit to stand trial.
The magistrate then ordered that Sonko be examined by an independent psychiatrist at the Kenyatta National Hospital to establish the same.
The matter is set to be mentioned on on March 12, 2021.
Separately, Sonko is also facing graft related charges in which he was accused of demanding a Ksh10 million bribe from Web Tribe Limited to help process payments.
Sonko is also accused of conspiring with business people and senior county government officials to embezzle more than Ksh300 million public money.
