Former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has told a Nairobi court that he was almost injected with an unknown substance at Gigiri police station where he was being detained pursuant to an order by Kiambu Chief Magistrate court.
Through lawyer John Khaminwa, Assa Nyakundi and Wilfred Nyamu, Anti corruption Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti heard that lawyer Khaminwa received a call on the night of 2nd February informing him that steps were being taken to give Governor Sonko an injection and that he had been denied his blood pressure medication.
“I was shocked, I was irritated, I was upset. An injection for what?” Submitted the lawyer.
The court heard that Sonko has been affected a lot by the treatment he is getting from the government and lawyer Khaminwa has been trying to comfort him even at the police station.
According to Dr Khaminwa, after receiving the said call, he called Nyakundi and told him to go to Gigiri police station to check on Sonko but on arrival, the police would not let him go in to check on him.
“The treatment is punitive at the cell, he is made to sleep on hard cement. They do not allow him to take his medication,” added Dr Khaminwa.
He further told the court that we need to educate ourselves as a country on how to treat those who are accused/prisoners adding that having him sleep on the floor as a governor is evil and immoral.
The lawyer urged the government to stop wasting public resources by sending a fleet of vehicles with like a hundred officers to arrest one man. He said a call would have been enough to have him present himself.
Dr Khaminwa sought orders to have his client transferred to Muthaiga Police station where he will have the opportunity to take his medicine and his life not under threat. He also wanted the court to order that no one should charge Sonko while the matter was ongoing.
The prosecution responded by saying that only superior courts can injunct statutory bodies and not the magistrate’s court.
In addition, the DPP said that leave was not sought to make such an application and that no formal application was made before court. The court also heard that its duty is to ensure the accused is taken back to where he was (Gigiri police station).
After the submissions by both parties, CM Ogoti ruled that since the court is aware of the orders of the subsequent court (Kiambu Court), it will not interfere with the said orders.
He, however, ordered the investigating officer to make sure the accused was safely escorted back to Gigiri police station. The magistrate also directed the OCS Gigiri police station to ensure safety of the life of the accused until he is presented in Kiambu on Thursday afternoon and ensure he receives his drugs and gets access to his counsels.
Sonko was charged with several counts of assault and forcible entry at Kiambu law Courts and was remanded for two days pending bail ruling.
After leaving Milimani Law courts where he had been produced for his corruption case and where it was ordered he be taken back to Gigiri police station, his lawyers confirmed that he was not being taken back there but was being taken to Kamiti Maximum Prison.
