Tana River senator Ali Bule charged with incitement

Tana River Senator Ali Abdi Bule was on Monday charged in a Mombasa court with ethnic contempt, incitement to violence and disobedience of the law.
Mr Bule, who appeared before Mombasa Principal Magistrate Diana Mochache, denied the charges.

He was released on a Sh1 million bond with a surety of a similar amount, or an alternative Sh500,000 cash bail.

The senator paid the Sh500,000 cash bail and walked out of the court's basement cells at midday.

The magistrate said she released the senator on strict bond terms because of the senator's demeanour in court, since he kept on smiling as the charges were being read to him.

Ms Mochache also barred the accused from visiting Kanagoni, where, according to the prosecution, internally displaced people are living, allegedly as a result of the matter in court.

The magistrate said even if there was a burial in the area, unless there is a court order in place, he should not attend it.

She also directed the accused not to comment in public or conduct interviews with the media on the case or his bond terms would be cancelled.

“The offence is serious, we have read (in the press) that politicians might take the country into chaos, we have a duty to protect (the country),”said Ms Mochache, in her ruling.

She described as a mockery of justice a plea by the accused that he had a Sh50,000 cash bail to pay in order to secure his release.

STRICT CONDITIONS

Assistant Director of Public Prosecution Alexander Muteti said although he did not oppose Mr Bule's release on bond, he wanted the court to impose strict conditions.

Mr Muteti urged the court to take judicial notice of what is happening in the country, saying a message ought to be sent to the “likes of the accused”.

“The accused, in his public appearances, should steer away from discussing the issue (before court),”said Mr Muteti.

Through his lawyer, Mr Omagwa Angima, the accused asked the court to release him on reasonable bond terms.

“The accused will appear in court anytime he is required to do so, he is law abiding,” said Mr Angima, adding that the cases tend to attract a lot of attention and that sometimes the accused is made to suffer.

Mr Bule is alleged to have uttered words intended to incite feelings of hostility and violence against the Giriama community on the basis of their ethnicity.

The offences are alleged to have been committed on July 15, 2015 in Hurara, Garsen Sub-County, in Tana River

Last week, a warrant of arrest was issued against the senator to compel him to attend court and plead to the charges.

(READ: Tana River senator faces arrest over incitement)

The case was fixed for hearing on December 9, 10 and 11.