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Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko’s woes continued to deepen yesterday after it emerged that he is likely to be charged with robbery with violence and assault.

By the time of going to press, Sonko was still being grilled by detectives at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at Mazingira House on Kiambu road.

Sources privy to the questioning told People Daily that the embattled politician would face seven counts of robbery with violence and  five counts relating to assault.

One of the incidents, we learnt, took place at a Kindergarten in Nairobi’s Buruburu estate in 2019 and was investigated and with detectives recommending that he be prosecuted.

DCI detectives yesterday grilled him for hours over public utterances he made on the 2017 election violence.

Sonko arrived at the DCI headquarters on Kiambu Road at about 3.40pm in the company of his lawyer, Dr John Khaminwa after unsuccessfully seeking orders from the court to stop the DCI from questioning him over the remarks.

 Under a certificate of urgency, Sonko had gone to court seeking an order against the decision of Assistant Inspector General of Police John Kariuki to summon him to DCI headquarters to record a statement over his claims that he and government officials orchestrated chaos after the 2017 General Election. 

But, Justice James Makau declined to issue the orders pending the hearing of the matter, which he set for February 28. Kariuki, who is also Director Investigations Bureau at the DCI headquarters, had directed Sonko to appear at the detectives’ office on February 1, for questioning on alleged offences of ‘undermining authority of public officer and incitement to violence and disobedience of law’.

Sonko was expected to shed light to police on claims he made at a public rally, that together with the Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho, they planned violence in Nairobi during the 2017 General Election.

However, Sonko argues that he did not make any utterances that could be construed that he was inciting anybody to commit violence.

“My comments at the rally could not be construed as undermining a public officer for they were to reveal to the public that Kibicho and I had committed criminal acts in the past,” he said.

He expressed fears that Requisition to Compel Attendance at the DCI before Inspector Kariuki is a mere ploy to lure him to the police station for the purpose of arresting him.

He wanted the court to make an order directing President Uhuru Kenyatta to constitute a commission of inquiry into the violence.

“Sonko’s fears are grounded on retribution that Kibicho intends to mete out on the Applicant as punishment for comments he made in a public rally on the January 24, in which he revealed that Kibicho committed criminal acts in 2017 after the General Election for the sole aim of tarnishing the name and image of the Orange Democratic Movement,” Khaminwa argued. 

Graft cases

He added that Sonko, following the utterances he made in public, considers himself a whistle-blower.

 “The petitioner fears that if the conservatory orders are not issued, Sonko shall be arrested and trumped up charges merely to silence him and diversion from comments that he made about Kibicho and himself,” said Khaminwa.

Kariuki’s requisition to Compel Attendance was served on Sonko by more than 30 police officers.

He was served inside the premises of the Milimani Law Courts last week after hearing of one of the multiple graft cases facing him. 

The lawyer said the manner of service was cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of Sonko and an act deliberately designed to intimidate and grossly humiliate him.