Judge Jessie Lessit reserved her ruling until June 30 after taking the submissions of the prosecution and defence for and against his release pending trial/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 20 – The High Court will in 10 days time decide whether former Wananchi Group CEO Richard Alden accused of killing his girlfriend in Karen two weeks ago should be released on bail.
Judge Jessie Lessit reserved her ruling until June 30 after taking the submissions of the prosecution and defence for and against his release pending trial.
Prosecuting Counsel Catherine Mwaniki urged the court to remand the accused until evidence of potential witnesses is secured and the murder trial concluded.
Justice Lessit was asked to consider that the British national gave contradicting statements about the incident.
“The accused person is not to be trusted at all since he told Karen Hospital officials that the deceased shot herself accidentally but when interrogated by police said he was in another room,” Mwaniki submitted.
Judge Lessit heard that the Chief fireman’s Licensing officer has since established that Alden is not a licensed firearm holder and was in possession of a fake card identifying him as a Kenyan.
However, lawyer Cliff Ombetta for Alden urged the court to grant him on bail insisting that the State has no compelling reasons to detain him pending trial.
Ombetta dismissed assertions by the prosecution that he is a flight risk as he has no fixed aboard.
The foreigner has denied murdering 42 year-old Grace Wangeci Kinyanjui at his home in Windy Ridge Road in Karen on June 4, 2016.
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