Court to rule whether Sonko will be detained for 30 days to allow probe into terror links

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko will on Thursday, February 4 know whether he will be detained for 30 days to allow probe into his alleged terror financing.

The ex-county chief who was briefly held in custody at the Kamiti Maximum GK Prison Wednesday afternoon, was in the evening taken into lawful confinement at the Gigiri Police Station.

The Kahawa Law Courts will on Thursday rule whether DCI's application seeking to detain Sonko for 30 days will be granted, or not.

We had earlier Wednesday reported that the court had already granted the DCI's request. We apologise for the regrettable error.

The DCI had Wednesday evening moved to court seeking to detain Sonko for 30 days.

DCI officer investigating the matter, Newton Thimangu, on Wednesday, February 3 wrote an affidavit to the Chief Magistrate of Kahawa Law Courts, saying the agency has material evidence suggesting Sonko could be involved in planning terror activities in Kenya.

“I make this affidavit in my capacity as a police officer and an investigator who is privy to intelligence information of National security concern in which the suspect herein (Mike Sonko) is deeply involved in the epicenter that requires time to complete investigations,” said Thimangu in his application.

“It is believed that the suspect herein is recruiting a militia group to disrupt the peace and stability of the nation, leading to anarchy which can escalate to civil disobedience of law and order to the detriment of peace loving Kenyans.

“It is also suspected that the suspect herein is procuring uniforms resembling the military attire which he has been spotted wearing in public in disregard to the law and regulations restricting use of such attire by non-security agents,” said Thimangu.

The investigating officer argued that the military attire allegedly procured by Sonko was “associated with terrorist groups who pose a national security to the sovereignty of this country”.

“We, consequently, need to have the suspect detained for comprehensive investigations.”

Thimangu further claimed, in his affidavit, that Sonko “has started arming his private security agents with full military attire namely boots, military jungle uniform and firearms”.

“The suspect who was in company of unknown person had worn militia attire, and together with the suspect, they were both spotted in public in full glare of the media and in front of a huge mass of people in a public rally,” said Thimangu.

“This coded signals portray that the militia are ready and that they will be armed to create a threat to the stability of this country and to the citizens of this country through triggering acts of war within the boundaries of Kenya.”

Thimangu further claimed he had intelligence information that Sonko was “connected to financing of terrorism activities, and he is in the advanced stage of procuring arms and ammunition using a wide syndicate which is complex and sophisticated”.

Thimangu further argued Sonko has a huge influence, going by his social media following, and can weaponise that influence to “interfere with potential witnesses and recovery that police expect to make”.

Thimangu claimed, should they be given time to hack the investigation, then Sonko could be charged with a “very serious charge arising from the Prevention of Terrorism Act”.

The embattled Sonko suffered a blow Wednesday evening when he was transferred to Kamiti Maximum GK Prison for detention.

The reason for his transfer remains unclear, though well-placed sources within a leading administrative agency alleged that they wanted to “teach the ex-governor a lesson”.

Sonko is currently facing a litany of charges, including a Ksh10 million corruption allegation.

He will, on Thursday, February 4, know whether he will be freed on cash bail for his alleged fraud case. The matter will be handled by the kiambu Law Courts.