MP Mathew Lempurkel presented in Kibera court

Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel appears before Kibera Chief Magistrate Joyce Gandani on July 24, 2017. PHOTO | BENSON MATHEKA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel has finally been presented in a Nairobi court after spending the weekend in various police cells.

Mr Lempurkel was taken to the Kibera Law Courts following his arrest on Saturday for allegedly making incitement to violence remarks during an ODM rally in Maralal.

CHARGE

The MP was transferred to Nairobi from Nanyuki but did not plead to racial hatred charge after state prosecutor said she wanted to consult the Director of Public Prosecutions for directions.

“I have looked at the charge sheet and I feel that I need time to get directions from my boss, the DPP,” said prosecutor Mary Wangele.

She asked the court to order that the lawmaker be locked up at Gigiri Police Station but defence lawyers, led by Prof Ben Sihanya, objected.

“This is a member of Parliament whose rights are being violated,” Prof Sihanya said.

3 DAYS

“He was held incommunicado for the last three days, being moved from one police station to another at night. He should be released on bond.”

He claimed the MP was arrested at Nanyuki Police Station, where he had gone to report alleged threats to his life.

“The officers seem to have orders from above. The family of the MP fear for his live,” he said.

“This is detention without trial. No reason to qualify his incarceration. His continued detention is a violation of his rights as a citizen.”

The lawyer termed the prosecution’s application as malicious attempts to intimidate the controversial legislator.

The court heard that the MP has another case before a Nanyuki court that he is assisting police to investigate.

PROBE

Ms Wangele told the court that the prosecution was not seeking to carry out further investigations.

“What we want is a day to seek directions from DPP. Claims he was held incommunicado are not true because he was allowed to talk to a lawyer, one Mr Mayaka,” Ms Wangele said

Kibera Chief Magistrate Joyce Gandani declined to grant the detention request, saying the prosecution had enough time to consult the DPP.

“I am going to release the accused on Sh300,000 bond with a surety of a similar amount or Sh100,000 in cash bail. The matter will be mentioned on July 28,” she ruled.

The MP paid the cash bail and walked to freedom.