Ex-Sports CS Echesa to Spend Weekend in Jail

Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa will spend the weekend in police custody following a court ruling on Friday, February 14, as reported by the Daily Nation.

Echesa, who was arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations on Thursday, February 13, will be in remand until Monday, February 17, at 6 p.m. to allow for the conclusion of investigations by the police.

According to the publication, he would then be released on a cash bail of Ksh1 million after probe with the court further directing the police to conduct a search before cutting him loose.

Echesa was allegedly arrested over fraudulent deals involving the purchase of firearms and ammunition.

Echesa was arraigned at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport magistrate court where he faced charges regarding a Ksh40 billion scandal involving the supply of military surveillance equipment. 

The prosecution sought to hold the former CS  for 21 days with detectives set to travel to the United States to gather more information in relation to the case.

Appearing before the court, Echesa denied forgery charges levelled up against him with his lawyer arguing that detaining him would not aid the investigation.

"It will not help investigations for the first respondent to be detained. At paragraph 11 your honour, the investigative officer is saying that they recovered some documents hidden in the motor vehicles belonging to the first respondent but we say that no document was ever recovered belonging to the first respondent in KCR 786H. If that is the case, then, let the council be brave enough at least to avail a copy of an inventory " Echesa's lawyer argued.

It was alleged that the former CS was plotting to defraud some Turkish nationals on the basis of helping them acquire the tender through the government.