Echesa case: Court reduces cash bail from Ksh.1M to Ksh.200K

A Nairobi court has reduced the cash bail granted to four persons charged alongside former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa in the Ksh.39 billion fake military tender case.

The cash bail was on Wednesday reduced from Ksh.1 million to Ksh.200,000 for each of the four suspects; Daniel Otieno, Clifford Okoth, Kennedy Oyoo and Crispin Oduor.

On Tuesday, during the mention of the case, the four argued that they cannot raise the cash bail granted to them, urging the court to reduce the amount.

Echesa and his co-accused were freed on a Ksh.3 million bond with a surety of a similar amount or a Ksh.1 million cash bail.

The four were accused of, among other things, attempting to obtain a total of Ksh.39,544,200,000 from a foreigner by falsely pretending that they would award him a tender by the State Department to supply military equipment.

The suspects pleaded not guilty to all counts – obtaining money by false pretences, conspiracy to commit a felony, uttering a false document – with Echesa terming the case a political witch hunt.

The prosecution – led by Jacinta Nyamosi – had earlier objected to Echesa’s release claiming he would interfere with witnesses and evidence, further adding that the Ksh.1 million previously slapped on him by the JKIA court was lenient.

Echesa, through lawyer Cliff Ombeta, however stated that there was no reason to deny him bail, also urging the court to consider his bail/bond terms since he is presently unemployed.

“Echesa is no longer a minister, he is jobless and may not raise (the money if) given high bond terms, this will be denying their freedom…consider this,” said Ombeta.