Senator Ole Kina charged with ethnic contempt, released on cash bail

Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina was on Monday charged with ethnic contempt.

The Senator who appeared before Nairobi Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku on Monday denied the charges and was released on a cash bail of 100,000.

He was further warned against commenting about the matter until the case is heard and determined. The case will be mentioned on July 30

His application challenging the charges was dismissed. He had argued that the charge against him was defective and the prosecution was discriminatory in pressing the charges.

Chief magistrate Martha Mutuku in her ruling said the issues raised are evidential in nature and the prosecution will converse the said issues during trial.

“Objection fails nothing stops the commission from instituting negotiations” ruled the magistrate.

On May 19^th, Nairobi magistrate court issued summons against Narok Senator Ledama to answer charges of ethnic contempt during a live TV Interview on February 19, 2020.

The Senator was ordered to appear in court on June 2, 2020, to answer to charges of ethnic contempt and incitement to violence.

The senator is accused of uttering words that were intended to incite feelings of discrimination against non-Maasai communities living in Narok county.

Ole Kina’s utterances were also condemned by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) which also asked Kenyans to maintain peace.