•Sonko has since February 1 when he was arrested been guarded by officers from TPIU, which deals with terrorism suspects.
•Police accuse him of recruiting a militia which is likely to destabilise national security.
Image: FILE
A court on Tuesday ordered that former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko be confined to hospital bed until his condition improves.
Meanwhile, police have been barred from questioning him until he gets well.
Kahawa West Chief Magistrate Diana Mochache ordered that Sonko be taken back to the Nairobi Hospital after she received and reviewed a medical report that suggested the former governor is unwell.
She adjourned the case until February 26 as she ordered there be no interviewing of the former governor until he recovers. This means he will continue to be guarded at the hospital.
Sonko had arrived at the court in an ambulance for the mention of his case. The court was to review his medical report and decide if he should be detained in hospital or a police cell.
Nairobi Hospital submitted a preliminary medical report as directed, which indicated Sonko is unwell and has a condition that needs to be managed in hospital.
When the hearing started, his defence team led by lawyers John Khaminwa and Assa Nyakundi sought to cross examine the investigating officer in the terror related case. But they were informed the officer had traveled out of the country until February 21.
This forced the adjournment.
Up to nine officers are guarding him at the hospital where he has been for a week now.
There was drama at the hospital on February 9 when police arrived there and picked up Sonko for the ruling on his assault case.
Sonko had been admitted on February 8 after complaining of stomach complications and what officials called massive blood pressure while at the Gigiri police cells.
Police drove there and picked him up and took him to court.
He appeared in court in the company of an ambulance medic.
He was released by a Kiambu court on Sh300,000 and a surety of similar amount in a multiple assault case he is facing.
Sonko was later taken to the Kahawa West court in Kamiti where his lawyers applied for him to be taken to the hospital because he was unwell.
At the Kahawa West court, parties are arguing over an application by the police to be allowed to detain Sonko for 30 days as they investigate terror related charges.
The operations on Sonko are being conducted by officers from the Terrorism Prevention and Investigations Unit (TPIU).
Sonko has since February 1 when he was arrested been guarded by officers from TPIU, which deals with terrorism suspects. Police accuse him of recruiting a militia which is likely to destabilise national security.
An affidavit sworn by TPIU chief inspector Newton Thimangu says the former governor has been wearing military attire that is associated with terrorism groups who pose a national security to the sovereignty of this country and hence need to have the said suspect detained for comprehensive investigations.
“The suspect herein has started arming his private security agents with full military attire namely military boots, military jungle uniforms and firearms.
"The suspect who was in company of unknown person had worn militia attire and together with the suspect they were both spotted in public in full glare of the media and in front of huge mass of people in a public rally,” says part of affidavit.
He added he had intelligence information Sonko is connected to financing of terrorism activities and is in the advanced stage of procuring arms and ammunition using a wide syndicate which is complex and sophisticated.
Thimangu added that the militia are ready and that they will be armed to create a threat to the citizens through triggering acts of war in Kenya.
“It will be in the best interest that this court finds it prudent to grant custodial detention period of 30 days to enable investigations relating to this intelligence information to be thoroughly undertaken with a view of preventing, intercepting and or interrupting the criminal understandings by the suspect and his associates to forestall imminent danger,” said part of the affidavit.