Omtatah and 22 Others Released on Cash Bail, Court Objected to 14-Day Detention

Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah and 22 others were arrested during an anti-kidnapping protest held on Monday, December 31
The senator and his co-accused were brought before Milimani Chief Magistrate Rose Ndombi, who reduced their cash bail from KSh 50,000 to KSh 1,000 each.
Earlier, state prosecutors had requested that Omtatah and his co-accused be detained for an additional 14 days to allow for further investigation.

Nairobi: Senator of kiss Okiya Omtatah and 22 co-accused have been released after the court rejected the request of state prosecutors to detain them for 14 more days.

Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah and 22 others have been released after the court reduced their cash bail from KSh 50,000 to KSh 1,000. Photo: Mabonga_254/Okiya Omtatah.
Source: Facebook

The 23 people were released on bail of KSh 1,000 each after appearing before the Chief Magistrate of Milimani Rose Ndombi.

This comes after the court reduced the KSh 50,000 bond previously set by the guarantor to KSh 1,000 each.

Omtatah and his co-accused faced charges of inciting violence and civil disobedience after they were arrested on Monday, December 30, during protest of anti-kidnapping in Nairobi's Central Business District.

Did the government want Omtatah to be detained for 14 more days?

Earlier, state prosecutors had requested that Omtatah and 22 others be detained for an additional 14 days.

In their application, as reported by TUKO.co.ke, the prosecutors sought more time to allow a thorough investigation into the allegations of incitement and disobedience, contrary to Article 96 of the Penal Code.

The investigation was also planned to include sending the phones of the suspects to the Communications Authority of Kenya to retrieve WhatsApp, Facebook, X messages and images allegedly used to incite the public.

How was Omtatah arrested?

A video obtained by TUKO.co.ke showed Omtatah being forcibly pushed into a police car during an anti-kidnapping protest in the capital.

This comes after Omtatah and his fellow suspects chained themselves to a police car, demanding the immediate release of those who had been kidnapped.

As the police struggled to force him into their car, Omtatah, wearing a red sweater, raised one hand, insisting that victory against kidnapping in the country is certain.