Edward Gituku, the businessman accused of trafficking former Kenyan military officers to fight in Russia, has been released on a cash bail of KSh 500,000 after spending nearly two weeks in police custody.
During the hearing at the Kahawa Law Courts, the prosecution urged Magistrate Gideon Kiage to deny Gituku bail, arguing that he posed a flight risk. Gituku is accused of facilitating the recruitment and relocation of 22 ex-Kenyan soldiers who allegedly joined Russian military units involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The accused, however, denied the human trafficking charges leveled against him. The prosecution further filed an affidavit seeking to oppose his release on bond.
In his ruling, Magistrate Kiage noted that the prosecution had not provided sufficient evidence to prove that Gituku was a flight risk or that he would interfere with witnesses or ongoing investigations.
“The right to bond, though not absolute, can only be limited when there are compelling reasons,” the magistrate stated, adding that the arguments presented by the prosecution did not meet that threshold.
Consequently, the court granted Gituku release on a bond of KSh 2 million, with an alternative of KSh 500,000 cash bail.
