• Itumbi released on Sh100,000 bail, to report at Muthaiga police station every two days
• Court orders prosecution to release his phone within 14 days
Image: ENOS TECHE
The Judiciary has been lauded on the release of State House digital director Dennis Itumbi on bail.
Itumbi was on Wednesday released on a Sh100,000 bail after magistrate Zainab Abdul declined the prosecution's request to detain him for an additional nine days.
In their argument, the prosecution said the extra days were to allow them to complete investigations involving forensic examination of Itumbi’s phone and WhatsApp group Tangatanga Movement with 256 members–including Itumbi.
“We applaud the Judiciary for not allowing the court process to be abused by state bureaucrats that have made it a habit to misuse all public institutions to wage partisan political wars,” Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi said.
In her ruling, Abdul directed that Itumbi report at Muthaiga police station every two days before the mention of the case on July 22. He was also directed to deposit his passport in the court as a condition for his release.
After a verbal application by the prosecution, the court directed that Itumbi be restrained from posting anything related to his case on social media.
The prosecution was ordered to release Itumbi’s phone in the next 14 days and also release his power bank immediately.
“There is no need for the DCI to continue holding Itumbi as since his arrest, he was only taken to the DCI headquarters yesterday(Tuesday) and questioned for only 15 minutes,” Abdul said.
Itumbi was arrested last Wednesday in Nairobi's CBD over links to the fake assassination letter against Deputy President William Ruto.
Last Thursday, the court allowed the police to detain him for five days after the prosecution requested for 14 days to complete investigations.
Abdul ordered the five-day detention of the State House operative at Muthaiga police station.
"Fourteen days is too long since investigations already commenced on June 20. The respondent’s phone has also been confiscated for forensic examination," Abdul ruled last week.
In court last Thursday, Itumbi sensationally claimed he has an audio and a video to prove there was a plot to assassinate Ruto.
He requested to play the recordings in court in camera, saying the investigators were aware he has them.
“A meeting could have happened at La Mada Hotel where discussions were held on the possibility of the assassination of my employer," he said.
To show solidarity to Itumbi, MPs Kimani Ichung'wa (Kikuyu) and Sudi have asked the DCI to incorporate them in the matter’s investigations.
Edited by R.Wamochie