Three Chinese nationals charged with attempting to bribe investigators working on an alleged ticketing scam in a massive Kenyan railway project have each been released on bond.
The three Li Gen, Li Xiaowu and Sun Xin were each released on a Sh500,000 bond each with a Kenyan surety by Mombasa Chief Magistrate Julius Nang’ea on Monday .
The magistrate directed the accused to deposit their passports in court and warned them against interfering with investigations.
“The accused are warned that any attempts to interfere will lead to cancellation of the bond terms,” said Mr Nang’ea.
Their release follows an application they made seeking to have the orders issued on Friday denying them bond reviewed.
While releasing them on bond, the magistrate said the prosecution’s contention was that they were a flight risk but noted that their employer has demonstrated that if released on bond, they will stay within the jurisdiction of the court.
The magistrate said there were no longer compelling reasons to deny bond to the three as information on their place of residence which had earlier not been tendered to court has now been adduced.
The three Chinese arrested over Madaraka Express(SGR) tickets scam and charged with giving a Sh. 900,000 bribe to influence probe freed on Sh500,000 bond each.
As I stated these Chinese must be deported. They have been involved in Crimes back to back. Try that in China. pic.twitter.com/XaQD9P7lK2
— BRAVIN™ (@ItsBravin) December 3, 2018
On Friday, Mr Nang’ea declined to release them on bond saying that the court was satisfied with the reasons given by the prosecution.
“The court has not been told the specific address [and] without demonstration that the accused have a reasonable place of abode, it would not be a guarantee that they will attend court,” said Mr Nang’ea in his Friday ruling.
Mr Nang’ea said everyone, including a foreigner, has a right to be released on bond but the primary consideration is whether the accused, upon release, will attend court.
The three were charged with offering a Sh500,000 bribe to Inspector Andrew Warui and a team of his investigators as an inducement to influence ongoing criminal investigations in their favour.
They also jointly faced another charge of offering Sh200,000 bribe to the police.
Mr Xiaowu was also charged with giving Mr Warui a Sh200,000 bribe.