The accused persons have been in remand for close to three weeks now from when they denied charges of taking part in the theft. Photo/FILE.
NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 19 -The High Court has freed all the suspects charged with the scandal at the National Youth Service, but with stringent terms.
All the 46 suspects have been ordered to pay Sh 5 million bond with a Sh2 million surety and Sh1 million cash bail.
Justice Hedwig Ong’undi, who ordered their release, ruled that there was no convincing reason from the state that the accused persons are likely to interfere with witnesses.
The accused persons have been in remand for close to three weeks now from when they denied charges of taking part in the theft.
Those freed include Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service Lillian Omollo and NYS Director General Richard Ndubai, who stepped aside prior to their arrest and subsequent prosecution.
Justice Ong’undi ruled that there is no evidence to suggest that the accused persons’ release will be a threat to national security.
“As I grant bail I am alive to the seriousness of the offenses faced by the accused persons but there is need for the court to stand as a neutral arbiter in the matter,” she ruled.
Terms in the release include them not leaving the jurisdiction of the trial court and should not make contact whether directly or indirectly with the former staff of NYS, report to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations once a week, and should not visit their offices for any reason unless in the company of a police officer.
They were also ordered to deposit their passports in court.
They moved to the High Court after the Anti Corruption Court denied them bail, on grounds that they are a threat to national security
Prosecutor Duncan Ondimu had argued that it would not serve public interest to release the suspects who are facing serious economic crimes.
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