A Nairobi court has released former Sports CS Rashid Ecchesa on a personal bond of Sh 2 million in his alleged self abduction and extortion case.
He will however not leave hospital immediately due to his current serious medical condition. Echesa who has executed the bond will continue to receive medication while police are conducting investigations. “We have served the IG and DCI with the high court order releasing Echesa and barrung his arrest.The over 20 police sleuths hovering around the hospital will leave hospital to give doctors room to administer treatment,” said defence lawyer Danstan Omari.
Omari who is defending Echesa with Cliff Ombeta said they will send him to DCI on April 22, 2024 to record a statement over allegations of self abduction and extortion. Echesa was admitted at Karen Hospital last Thursday at the intervention of senior government officials after languishing at the |Muthaiga Police Station.
The lawyers said Echesa was injured seriously by alleged abductors and his nursing serious injuries. The High Court sitting in Kibera Law Courts in Nairobi issued the restraining orders against the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Inspector General of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions (respondents) from arresting and charging him without conducting investigations and giving him an opportunity to be heard
While issuing the order Justice Diana Kavedza said it is the duty of the court to protect Echesa’s rights after he claimed to have been held incommunicado at Muthaiga police station for 48 hours when he was arrested on March 27. Echesa was admitted to Karen Hospital on Saturday where he is currently still undergoing treatment after falling ill at Muthaiga Police cells, where he was detained.
“At this juncture, it is not the duty of the court to interrogate whether the applicant’s allegations are true, but rather, to protect his rights,’ said the Judge. Echesa, through his team of lawyers, filed the application seeking anticipatory bail.
In application Echesa also said he is currently admitted in hospital in order to keep his medical condition in check. The Judge in admitting him to bail pending hearing of his application said he is to execute a personal bond of Sh2 million. She said Echesa will be escorted to the officers of the DCI by his advocate as soon as he is discharged from hospital.
The court heard that his arrest came while obeying lawful summons from the county criminal investigations officers (CCIO) Nairobi Area. Echesa said he believes his arrest is politically motivated. He also said he is currently admitted to the hospital in order to keep his medical condition in check.
The Judge in admitting him to bail pending hearing of his application said he is to execute a personal bond of sh 2 million. She said Echesa will be escorted to the officers of the DCI by his advocate as soon as he is discharged from the hospital. This she said should not be later than April 22 for interrogation and questioning.
“He shall cooperate with the investigators during the entire period of investigators,” she said. “And or the avoidance of doubt, the respondents are at liberty to investigate or charge him for any criminal conduct. However they shall not arrest or detain him because of the personal bond or until further order of this court,” she added.
The Judge said once investigations are complete, the investigating officer should notify Echesa to appear before the relevant court for plea taking. Once he is arraigned, the judge said her orders will automatically lapse and the trial court will be at liberty to set new terms of bail.