Nairobi Hospital boss ordered to produce Sonko in court

The anti-corruption court has ordered Nairobi Hospital chief executive to produce ailing former city governor Mike Sonko in court Wednesday.

Mr Sonko has been admitted in the health facility since last month.

In his order, senior principal magistrate Peter Ooko also directed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officer in charge of prosecutions to “secure Sonko’s court attendance on March 4, 2021 9am.”

Mr Ooko gave the order after the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) Officer Commanding Station (OCS) failed to produce him in court Tuesday as directed on Monday.

Deputy OCS ATPU, Inspector Ezekiel Lulei who appeared before Mr Ooko said they could not produce Mr Sonko due to an existing court order “that police should not interfere in any manner until he is discharged from Nairobi Hospital.”

Mr Lulei told the court “police cannot violate a court order. They will be incontempt.”

But a State prosecutor differed with the officer saying that order relied upon by the police boss was issued by court of concurrence jurisdiction and cannot be a bar for another court of same level to issue a similar production order.

In his brief ruling Mr Ooko said, “I have perused all the medical reports and the Kahawa Magistrates’ court about Sonko. No where has it said he cannot stand trial neither is he incapacitated such that he can’t follow the proceedings.”

Mr Ooko orders came hot on the heels of serious protests by defence lawyers John Khaminwa, Wilfred Nyamu and Paula Atukunda, that the former county governor should be allowed to continue receiving medication without disturbance whatsoever.

“Mr Sonko is scheduled to be flown to South Africa for specialised treatment,” Mr Nyamu told the magistrate.

Dr Khaminwa urged the court to shift its sittings to Nairobi Hospital if it was inclined to have Mr Sonko undergo the trial while admitted to hospital.