• Former Sports CS Rashid Echesa and his co-accused have been released on a Sh1 million cash bail.
• The four will alternatively have to part with Sh3 million bond each to secure their freedom.
Image: ENOS TECHE
Former Sports CS Rashid Echesa and his co-accused were on Monday granted Sh1 million bail.
The four will alternatively have to part with Sh3 million bond each to secure their freedom.
Echesa and three others have been charged with 12 counts in the Sh39.5 billion fake military arms deal.
Appearing before Senior Principal Magistrate Kennedy Cheruiyot, the accused denied all the charges leveled against them.
They were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony by conspiring to make a document with intent to defraud.
Echesa has also been charged alongside three others with six counts of making a false document in the Sh39.5 billion fake arms deal.
They are also alleged to have obtained Sh11.5 million from Kozlowski Stanley Bruno by purporting that they would award him with a tender to supply military equipment.
Echesa has also denied pretending to be Deputy President William Ruto's PA.
The suspects have also been charged with attempting to defraud Sh39 billion from the complainants.
The prosecution had argued that if Echesa was released, he would interfere with the case.
However, the defence dismissed the allegations, saying there is no compelling reason why the accused should not be granted bail.
Lawyers led by Cliff Ombeta told court that the state should prove that the accused will interfere but not base their argument on assumptions.
Cheruiyot said he had considered the arguments and found the officers had not named the crime scenes that the accused would interfere with.
"It has not been denied that the searches in their homes have already been conducted as alleged by the defence. There being no compelling reason then the court will determine what bond to grant the accused persons," the magistrate said.
He added, "They are presumed innocent until proven guilty. I find it fair and reasonable to pay Sh1 million cash bail or a bond of Sh3 million".
The case will be mentioned on March 3.