Thursday, June 17, 2010

MINISTER SUSPENDED

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 17 - President Mwai Kibaki has suspended Dr Wilfred Machage as an assistant minister for Roads, pending determination of the hate speech case he is facing in court.

The president announced the decision in a statement issued by the Presidential Press Service at 5pm on Thursday.

Dr Machage was charged on Wednesday with five counts of hate speech alongside two other MPs - Fred Kapondi of Mt Elgon, Cherangany’s Joshua Kutuny and political activist Christine Miller.

The Assistant Minister, Ms Miller and Mr Kapondi were each released on a cash bail of Sh100,000 by Nairobi Chief Magistrate Gilbert Mutembei.

Mr Kutuny, who was separately charged with incitement to violence was freed on a Sh200,000 cash bail.

The four denied the incitement charges.

Mr Kutuny was accused of committing the offence last month in Trans Nzoia, while the rest were accused of hate speech on June 10 in Upper Hill.

The four have been directed to report to CID Headquarters when required until June 21 when their case is due back in court.

In rejecting a request by the police to detain the accused for three more days, Mr Mutembei said that he didn’t find sufficient reason to hold them in custody any longer.

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