Prominent lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi has called for the dismissal of Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti.
This is after Ogoti on Tuesday slapped former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero with a Sh8 million cash bail or an alternative bond of Sh 20 million over an ongoing graft case.
Abdullahi termed the ruling as retrogressive and accused the magistrate of an attempt to return the country to old days when accused persons were at the mercies of the political class.
He asked the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), the judges and magistrates employer, to fire Ogoti for 'weaponising' the right to bail.
"Douglas Ogoti the Chief Magistrate in the Anti-Corruption Court has weaponized the right to bail/bond into a lethal weapon in the hands of the state. Reminds one of political show trials of yesteryears when bail was denied on spurious political grounds. JSC needs to dismiss Ogoti," the Senior Counsel tweeted on Wednesday.
This is not the first time Ogoti has come under fire for releasing corruption suspects on tough conditions.
In early April he slapped Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal, who was facing Sh84.7m corruption and fraud charges, with a Sh100 million cash bail or Sh150 million bond.
However, when Lenolkulal appealed at the High Court, Justice Mumbi Ngugi reduced the cash bail to Sh10 million and termed the initial one as excessive.
“At any rate, given the nature and circumstances of this case and the penalty provided in law, it is my view that the bond terms imposed on the applicant are excessive and may well amount to denial of bail,” Ngugi ruled.