(NDIMA/IFEX) – Njehu Gatabaki, publisher of the Nairobi weekly magazine “Finance” who was abducted by security men on 4 December 1997, was on 5 December charged in a Nairobi court. Gatabaki, who is also the outgoing member of Parliament for Githunguri Constituency in Central Kenya, appeared before senior resident magistrate Lilian Bondi and denied three […]
(NDIMA/IFEX) – Njehu Gatabaki, publisher of the Nairobi weekly
magazine “Finance” who was abducted by security men on 4 December
1997, was on 5 December charged in a Nairobi court. Gatabaki, who
is also the outgoing member of Parliament for Githunguri
Constituency in Central Kenya, appeared before senior resident
magistrate Lilian Bondi and denied three counts of publishing an
“alarming” article, malicious damage to property and stealing
property worth more than KES 1.7 million (about US$ 27,000).
Nairobi lawyer James Orengo appeared for Gatabaki.
**Updates IFEX alert dated 5 December 1997**
The charges stated that Gatabaki published an article in the 1
December issue of “Finance” entitled “Moi ordered Molo Massacre”
which, according to the prosecution, was likely to cause fear and
alarm to the public or disturb the peace. The second count stated
that between 4 July and 9 August, along Hatheru Road in Nairobi,
Gatabaki unlawfully destroyed property worth KES 1.7 million
belonging to the Intra-African Insurance Company. The third count
stated that Gatabaki stole property whose value is estimated to
be KES 1.7 million, belonging to the same company.
He was released on a cash bail of KES 50,000 for the first charge
and KES 200,000 bond with one surety of a similar amount for the
second and third charges.
