A court on Tuesday banned Igembe South MP John Paul Mwirigi from stepping in Meru county for the next 14 days.
This was after the lawmaker
pleaded not guilty to aiding a prisoner escape and obstructing a police officer from executing his duties.
Mwirigi denied the charges before Meru principal magistrate Stella Abuya.
The court heard that the MP aided a driver of a Toyota Vitz, registration number KCM 566H, to
escape arrest for driving a car with worn out
rear tyres.
Mwirigi was also charged with obstructing Mohamed Bemo - a police officer, from executing his duties contrary to Section 103(a) of the National Police Service Act, 2011.
The lawmaker is accused of throwing a police barrier at a roadblock mounted on Mikinduri-Maua highway.
Abuya released the lawmaker on Sh500,000 bail with an alternative of Sh1 million bond or surety of a similar amount.
She
said the prosecution had failed to prove Mwirigi would interfere with investigations if released as most witnesses are police officers.
The magistrate said the accused should not set foot in Meru county for the next 14 days.
"If he does, the bond shall be cancelled and he shall be remanded until the case is heard and determined," Abuya said.
She ordered the prosecution to give a copy of the charge sheet to the accused.
Mwirigi was among five MPs from Meru who last Friday protested against alleged harassment of taxi operators by traffic police.
Lawyers Kirimi Mbogo and Ken Muriuki asked the court to release the MP on bond or bail saying he had already spent a night in the police cell.
Muriuki argued that the politician
had not committed a serious offence adding that the accused is an honourable member and is not a flight risk.
"He is a law-abiding citizen. We are praying that we can be given an alternative of a cash bail," Muriuki said.
The prosecution said Mwirigi was likely to interfere with investigations if released.
The case will be mentioned on December 6 and heard on February 25, 2019.
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