MP Babu Owino to spend another night in police cells

Embakasi East MP Paul Ongili alias Babu Owino will spend another night in police cells while awaiting ruling on his bond application after pleading not guilty to subversion and incitement to violence charges.

The MP was arrested on Monday following derogatory comments he made against President Uhuru Kenyatta at an opposition rally in Kawangware, Nairobi.

The first-time MP’s remarks sparked widespread protests in Kiambu County and criticisms from other elected leaders, including National Super Alliances’s Nairobi County Woman Representative, Esther Passaris.

The former Student Organisation of Nairobi University chairman has, however, pleaded not guilty to the allegations before Nairobi Chief Magistrate, Francis Andayi, to the three counts: incitement to violence, offensive conduct conducive to a breach of peace and subversion.

Babu Owino’s lawyer, Senior Counsel James Orengo, has argued that prosecution must have an affidavit demonstrating why the accused should not be granted bail, after  he unsuccessfully tried to bail out the legislator but in vain.

The state counsel led by Deputy Director of Public Prosecution(DPP), Nicholas Mutuku, has opposed Babu’s release on cash bail, saying the Embakasi East MP has previously been charged three times in a span of 17 months and, therefore, does not deserved to be released on bond.

“The accused is a person of influence and if released on bail will interfere with witnesses lined up to testify against him,” argued the prosecution.