Sonko (pictured) and eight other City Hall official are set to be charged on Monday before a Nairobi anti-corruption magistrate court with six graft-related offences among them conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption, abuse of office and acquisition of proceeds of crime/FILE -CFM
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 7 – Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko will Monday face assault charges in addition to six fraud-related charges over the embezzlement of Sh357.4 million in fictitious tendering processes.
National Police Service Spokesperson Charles Owino Saturday said the county chief assaulted security officials as they arrested him in Voi following an arrest order issued by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Noordin Haji.
Owino said Sonko was abusive, unruly and violent when police tried to arrest him.
“Due to Sonko’s lack of cooperation during the arrest, the National police have resolved to file extra charges against the Governor,” he said.
However, Sonko’s lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui said the Governor was badly tortured during the arrest and is in urgent need for medical attention.
He also called for immediate arrest of a police officer captured in camera assaulting Sonko, saying it was wrong for the police to treat the Governor like someone who was on the run.
National Police Service Spokesperson Charles Owino (pictured) Saturday said Sonko assaulted security officials as they arrested him in Voi following an arrest order issued by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Noordin Haji/FILE – CFM
“It is embarrassing that this happened to our beloved governor who now urgently needs medication because of the inhumane way he was treated by rogue police officers in Voi,” said Kinyanjui.
He said the governor was heading to an official function in Mombasa at the time of arrest and was supposed to get medication that afternoon as instructed by his doctor.
“You can’t be hiding or running away if you have government-designated bodyguards with you and your phone on. The governor was on a normal daily mission,” said Kinyanjui.
Sonko and eight other City Hall official are set to be charged on Monday before a Nairobi anti-corruption magistrate court with six graft-related offences among them conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption, abuse of office and acquisition of proceeds of crime.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) had already arrested former County Secretary Peter Kariuki and former procurement head Patrick Mwangangi by the end of the day on Friday.
Thirteen other suspects including tender committee members and director of firms awarded questionable contracts were still being sought, the agency said.
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