Ex-CS Echesa taken to hospital over health issues

Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa was on Saturday reportedly rushed to hospital after his health condition allegedly deteriorated.

His legal team reportedly visited him at the hospital.

"My client's health deteriorated hence his admission to the hospital," his lawyer Danstan Omari said.

Police said they will guard him at the hospital ahead of his arraignment.

Echesa had asked the police to release him from custody to allow him to seek medical attention.

The former CS had been detained at Muthaiga police cells since Thursday night.

In a letter to the Inspector General of Police dated March 29, Echesa through his lawyer Danstan Omari wants to be granted cash bail to "continue with his journey towards full recovery."

"This letter is to request the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to authorize the Officer Commanding Muthaiga Police Station to take our client to hospital so that his doctor can review his medical condition as had been directed in our client's medical documents,” the letter says in part.

Lawyer Danstan Omari said his client had been detained to help with investigations into claims of abduction.

He, however, said, no report has been issued by police regarding the complainant.

“We have been allowed to see him. We understand they are investigating claims of extortion and abduction which we don’t know more about,” he said.

“There is no complainant in this case. He is the one who reported the matter in the first place and now he has been reported here,” he said.

According to Omari, his client, who is also the chairperson of the Kenya Water Towers Agency, was arrested and initially taken to Muthaiga Police Station.

He further said the continued detention of the former CS will make his health deteriorate adding that any form of justice related to his arrest cannot possibly take precedence over his health.

He added that Echesa should be granted cash bail to attend to medical attention in the coming days and to his full recovery.

The lawyer said Echesa is not a flight risk and is willing to subject himself to a fair process and intends to cooperate with investigations.