Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa was Monday detained in police custody ahead of a ruling on whether he should be released on bail.
Echesa was produced before a Kiambu court where police made an application seeking to detain him for seven days.
His legal team led by Evans Ondiek and Cliff Ombeta opposed the application and sought his release on bail.
They appeared before Chief magistrate Patricia Gichohi. Investigating officer Mishack Kagera swore an affidavit saying he is investigating use of violence during election period contrary to sec 65 of election Act 2011.
He said Echesa assaulted an Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission official Peter Juma Okura at Bulonga polling centre on March 4, 2021 in the just concluded Matungu by-election.
“The respondent in this matter owing to his nature of use of violence is likely to cause fear, intimidation thus interfering with witnesses who are yet for interview and statement recording,” read part of the affidavit.
Police argued they did not have enough time to investigate the issue and hence wanted seven days to do so.
After an argument in court by the defence, the magistrate ordered Echesa be returned to Gigiri police cells ahead of a ruling on if he should be held further or released on bail.
Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji gave the agencies 30 days to
