Bernice Mbugua @BerniceMuhindi
A Nairobi court yesterday barred the prosecution and the defence from writing on social media about proceedings of the Sh213 million graft case against former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero.
Anti-Corruption Court chief magistrate Douglas Ogoti issued the temporary order saying he will give a substantive ruling today.
Kidero is charged alongside eight others with conspiring to commit fraud, leading to the loss of Sh213, 327,300 at the county government between January 16, 2014 and January 25, 2016.
The defence lawyers yesterday accused the DPP of tweeting the ongoing proceedings saying the action is meant to jeopardise and influence the outcome of the trial.
Already convicted
The court heard that the dignity of the court was being abused by the DPP himself saying an ‘online baraza’ has been opened by the DPP following his tweets and took issue with 296 responses in the tweets.
The defence lawyers also noted that DPP had even posted exhibits that are the subject of the proceedings. Lawyer Philip Nyachoti, for one of the accused, argued that his client has already been convicted before completion of trial.
But Assistant DPP Gitonga Riungu argued that they were prosecuting the matter as per the Constitution and not on social media.
He said the proceedings are open to the public and tweets were factual and the matter was being prosecuted professionally and with the dignity it deserves.
