Aladwa in court over hate speech

Former Nairobi Mayor George Aladwa has appeared before Justice Joseph Onguto for a mention of a hate speech case in which he was awarded an anticipatory bail after successful application when he was arrested in Nairobi.

Through his lawyers, Aladwa told the court that the petition was not ready and he undertook to file within seven days so that they are replied to by the parties sued within seven days.

By consent, the prosecution and defence agreed that Aladwa remains on the initial bond terms of 20,000 granted on October 23rd by the High Court.

Aladwa, though his lawyers, said he is not opposed to his prosecution and has undertaken to appear before a magistrate court when called upon to plead to chargers leveled against him.

He also will not interfere with prosecution witnesses.

The case will be mentioned on November 30th 2015.

Aladwa was on Friday arrested over alleged hate remarks he made during a rally on Mashujaa day over the outcome of the next General Election.

Aladwa, who is also the Nairobi ODM party chair, was arrested on Friday morning at Railway Club by CID officers.

This comes after the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko ordered Aladwa be questioned and speedy investigations be conducted into the remarks deemed to call for chaos should Cord Leader Raila Odinga’s victory be stolen if he wins the 2017 poll.

The former Nairobi mayor, however, insisted that his utterances at the Tuesday opposition Cord rally in Kibra were taken out of context.

Aladwa has been widely condemned for the utterances made at the Kibera rally which are said to have incited Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) supporters to violence during the 2017 elections.

The clip, which is circulating on social media, shows the ODM Nairobi Chair telling the attendants at a rally to resort to violence should party leader Raila Odinga not win the 2017 elections.

“2017 imekaribia na sisi kama watu wa ODM tumebaki na risasi moja…this time round the outcome of the election ikiwa tumeshinda na watunyang’anye wacha kiumane..Raila ndio awe President lazima watu wakufe kiasi…” Aladwa was seen as saying.

(Translation: “2017 is near and as ODM we are left with one bullet. This time round if Raila Odinga wins and he is denied victory through rigging of the elections things will turn ugly. People must die for Raila to become president…”)