A Milimani High Court has declined to lift orders issued directing the arrest and jail term of the suspended Nairobi County Executive Committee Member (CEC) for Finance and Economic Planning, Charles Kerich.

Justice Francis Gikonyo, on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, said that he will not suspend his orders that sentenced Kerich to three months’ imprisonment for contempt of court orders.

“I am not going to suspend my order; if he can present himself to court, let him present himself to a relevant authority,” Justice Gikonyo stated.

The court’s decision came after lawyer Duncan Okatch, representing Kerich, requested the court to grant him temporary relief pending the hearing of the applications.

Okatch told the court that the suspended CEC had shown respect to the court by appearing virtually and had not absconded.

“My Lord, he is a law-abiding person. He comes before you with honesty and humility. All we are asking is that you give him the benefit of the doubt until the applications before you are heard,” Lawyer Okatch told the court.

Lawyer Gordon Ogado, representing Kwengu and Company Advocates, asked the court to order Kerich to surrender to the authorities within three days.

“My lord, with your kind permission before you pen off, may the contemnor, the sentenced person (Kerich), be ordered to appear before the authorities within three days,” Lawyer Ogado told the court.

In his response, Judge Gikonyo said that the police should be able to arrest Kerich immediately, adding that if he does not surrender himself to the authorities, he will be considered a fugitive.

“The police should be able to arrest him immediately; let them do their work, and if he continues like that, we will treat him as a fugitive,” Judge Gikonyo added.

Kerich was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for failing to settle a Ksh106.7 million debt owed to the Kwengu and Company Advocates law firm.

The court has set July 29, 2026, for the hearing of oral applications.