DPP Noordin Haji might have been performing his duties as the Director of Public Prosecutions but his recent sentiments regarding Migori Governor Okoth Obado have not been received well by a section of Kenyans.
The DPP questioned governor Obado’s bail terms that he termed as “wanting”
According to Lawyer Murigi Kamande, the DPP has overstepped his mandate and his calls to have public servants vacate public office once they are charged in court are uncalled for.
“We cannot have the DPP as the ‘firer in chief’. What he wants is the moment you are charged as a public servant, you have to exit office and you cannot enjoy the packages that come with the job,” said Kamande.
According to Haji, Governor Obado should be out of office and should not even be allowed to engage or take part in public events like he did during a meeting with development partners. A meeting that was also attended by DP William Ruto.
“Some of the bail terms for example in a particular murder case to do with the governor are wanting. You saw him making presentations before development partners and this is somebody facing a murder charge, investigations on corruption… this is somebody who was found with unexplained guns in his premises.”
“We must have standards and those standards need to be applied across board and the courts need to help us.” added the DPP
Mr. Murigi Kamande on his part has defended Obado stating that Obado being in a meeting with development partners does not in any way show that he will interfere with witnesses.
‘Obado was in a meeting with development partners which is in no way related to the case he is facing. We are guided by the rule of law, it is the role of the DPP to show that Obado can interfere with witnesses by attending a development meeting,” said Murigi
” I disagree with him because the right to bail is in the constitution and everyone is innocent until proven guilty. The DPP has to provide compelling reasons why the suspect should not be granted bail,” he added.
Haji has expressed his displeasure over the manner in which the courts have been handling cases against high-profile individuals.
Citing an example of the case against Migori Governor Okoth Obado, the DPP said the county boss was granted “wanting” bail terms by the court.
Mr. Haji wondered why the courts are allowing State officers to go back to their offices despite being indicted for serious offences, adding that as a country “we must have standards.”
Governor Okoth Obado has since resumed office and is performing his roles as the Migori County Chief.
“I am actually concerned on this, we have taken cases to court, we have charged individuals be it governors or constitutional office holders or the Deputy Chief Justice (DCJ) herself. My concern is this. Most of them still remain in office. And the sad thing is that we still have orders to allow them to enjoy whatever it is and these orders are coming from the courts,” said the DPP.
Was the DPP right in questioning Obado’s bail terms?