Nairobi court denies former PS Itemere passport

From right: Former ICT PS Sammy Itemere, Lugari MP Ayub Savula Angatia and former Director of Government Advertising Agency Dennis Kuko in court on March 27, 2019.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Magistrate Andayi heard that Mr Itemere got a new job as an associate director at Frexon Marketing Agencies Ltd and that he will be required to tour Hamburg, China, Dubai and East African countries to market its products.

  • Depositing in court the travel documents is one of the bail conditions imposed on the suspects.

Former ICT PS Sammy Itemere, who is charged alongside 30 other suspects over theft of Sh122 million from the government, has failed to gain access to his passport to travel outside the country.

Mr Francis Andayi rejected a request by Mr Itemere, to be allowed to retain his passport after landing a lucrative job which will involve a lot of travelling outside the jurisdiction of the court.

'FREQUENT TRAVEL'

Mr Andayi heard that Mr Itemere got a new job as an associate director at Frexon Marketing Agencies Ltd and that he will be required to tour Hamburg, China, Dubai and East African countries to market its products.

Making the application to allow Mr Itemere to get back his passport, lawyer John Manasses said the suspect “will be required to travel out quite often and that it is imperative he keeps his passport.”

Mr Manases made the prayer following a successful application by Mr Savula, who was allowed to travel to Spain last week to attend to parliamentary business.

Depositing in court the travel documents is one of the bail conditions imposed on the suspects.

The court heard that Mr Itemere had received an invitation from Rotary International Convention to fly to Germany between May 31 — June 5.

But prosecuting counsel Henry Kinyanjui opposed the application saying the accused should make the request some days before the travel date.

In his ruling Mr Andayi said: “ I cannot issue a blanket order. Let the accused and others who may wish to travel present their applications to get back their passports whenever a need arises.”

Mr Andayi required all the 30 suspects to furnish each other with applications regarding their external journeys since "the trial will be interfered with if more suspects will be allowed to travel at the same time.”

Hearing continues Tuesday.