Safina party Leader and businessman Jimi Wanjigi has been released on a personal bond of Ksh10 million after his arrest and detention at Kamukunji Police Station on Monday.
Wanjigi appeared in court on Tuesday, where he was instructed to surrender his passport as a condition of his release, pending a ruling on September 12. This ruling will determine whether he will enter a plea or if the charges against him will be dismissed.
During Tuesday’s court session, Wanjigi’s legal team, led by Senior Counsel Paul Muite, requested a postponement of the plea. Muite argued that the arrest violated a prior court order issued by Justice Bahati Mwamuye, which had prohibited Wanjigi’s detention.
The defence team contended that the police acted in contempt of court by arresting Wanjigi despite this order and that the legal process against him was flawed.
The defence also alleged that the police acted maliciously by canceling Wanjigi’s firearm licence, which had been reinstated by the High Court. Lawyer Willis Otieno claimed that the Firearm Licensing Board had revoked the licence to facilitate the charges of illegal firearm possession against Wanjigi.
Otieno argued that the charges were fundamentally flawed, emphasizing that Wanjigi had voluntarily complied with a police summons to appear before Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers.
Additionally, Otieno accused the police of physical abuse against Wanjigi’s co-accused, Kibe, alleging that Kibe had been subjected to painful treatment, including having his genitals squeezed while in custody.
The court will reconvene on September 12 to review the case further and make a decision regarding the charges and plea.