Omtatah and 22 protesters freed as court rejects police bid to detain them
Anti-abduction protesters, incuding Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, chant solidarity songs at the Milimani Law Court on December 31, 2024, during plea taking after being arrested the previous day.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
A court in Nairobi has rejected the police's bid to detain Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah and 22 others for 14 days, saying no compelling reasons were given for doing so. Milimani Principal Magistrate Rose Ndombi also released the 23 on Sh50,000 bond with surety or cash bail of Sh1,000 each.
When they were brought before court on Tuesday, coming a day after their arrest during anti-abduction protests in the city, the police said they wanted them detained to allow investigations into allegations of incitement to violence and civil disobedience.
