The High Court has reduced cash bail for a suspect accused of stealing Sh3.9 billion from the Kenya Revenue Authority.
Alex Mutuku applied for his bail amount to be reduced, saying the Sh1 million initially set was too high for him to raise.
Trial Magistrate Francis Andayi on Thursday reduced the amount to Sh700,000.
Andayi also issued summons for the investigating officer to appear in court on April 10 and explain whether he was going to use items confiscated from Mutuku during his arrest.
Mutuku made an application for police to return his personal items.
The IT expert has denied fraudulently causing the loss of Sh3,985,663,858 belonging to KRA by interfering with the functions of the institution's computer systems.
The 28-year-old is charged alongside eight KRA employees and Embakasi North MP aspirant Joseph Mwangi.
Mutuku's co-accused are out on cash bail of Sh300,000 each.
They are said to have stolen the cash between March 1, 2015 and March 1, 2016.
Calvin Otieno of KRA is also charged with illegal possession of an AK-47 firearm and 24 rounds of ammunition.
Albert Komen, also of KRA, faces separate charges of illegally registering a Toyota Corolla vehicle registration number KBJ 426W on December 13, 2015.
Lucy Wamwandu is separately charged with stealing Sh1 billion while working at KRA as a supervisor of the domestic taxes department.
Kenneth Riaga, another KRA employee, faces additional charges of abuse of office by altering and falsifying electronic records belonging to the taxman.
Earlier, prosecutors Edwin Okello and Eddie Kaddabe had opposed Mutuku's bail, saying he is a flight risk and his passport is not among items retained as exhibits.
They also argued that Mutuku is able to interfere with computer servers remotely, and is considered a national security threat. They claim Mutuku has been working with suspects outside the country.
They told the court that ongoing digital evidence discovery is likely to provide more links.