Ex-CS Rashid Echesa freed on Ksh.1M cash bail over assault, disturbance charges

Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa was on Tuesday freed on a cash bail of Ksh.1 million over assault and disturbance charges during the Matungu by-election.

Echesa, who was arrested on Friday last week, was arraigned on Monday before a Kiambu court but was detained for one more night in police custody awaiting the bail ruling.

The court set the hearing date for April 9, 2021.

The ex-CS was arrested after he was caught on video slapping an official from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) during the Matungu polls.

In the video capturing the incident, a visibly angry Echesa was seen lecturing the IEBC official accusing him of chasing one of their agents out of the Bulonga polling station.

“Our agents are outside the polling station my friend. You cannot chase our agents outside. Why are you chasing them outside? Uliambiwa by who?” poses Echesa before slapping the official.

“Sheria inasema call all the agents to witness sio kuita individual,” he adds.

Echesa, who was briefly declared armed and dangerous by the National Police Service, presented himself before the Matungu Police Station at 4pm on Friday.

This came after Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai had issued an ultimatum for him Echesa to surrender or risk being considered an armed and dangerous suspect on the run.