NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 10 – Meru Senator Mithika Linturi will spend another night in custody pending the ruling on the prosecution’s request for more time to conclude investigations into remarks he made during a rally in Eldoret over the weekend.
The prosecution had sought seven days to hold the Senator, but Linturi’s defense led by Lawyer Elias Mutuma opposed the request.
According to an affidavit by the investigating officer, the utterances he made are likely to incite violence during the election period.
The prosecution further asked the court to deny him bail or bond saying he might interfere with the witnesses.
His lawyer Mutuma however, stated that it was within Linturi’s rights to be released on bail or bond.
“It is not even fair to this court, to the defense and to the accused person to be rushed to court 30 minutes before closing time. The prosecution has come to this court with dirty hands,” he stated.
Linturi was arrested on Saturday after saying that ‘Madoadoa’ should be removed from Rift Valley in what has been widely interpreted to mean people who do not support Ruto for the presidency.
Rift Valley is largely inhabited by communities from various parts of the country and the use of Madoadoa, which means spots, can easily inflame tensions particularly after the 2007-8 post-election violence in which more than half a million people were killed and thousands more displaced.
Linturi has since apologised and clarified that he meant voters should not vote in leaders outside Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
