A digital taxi driver accused of abducting a senior police officer who had allegedly arrested him for violating traffic rules has been charged.
Francis Karanja faced three counts of abduction, resisting arrested and causing an obstruction on a public road.
He was charged that he abducted Inspector Joseph Asugo on March 22, 2023, along Ngong Road within Nairobi County.
The prosecution said the accused intended to detain the complainant for an alleged illegal act.
Karanja denied the counts charges before Milimani chief magistrate Susan Shitubi and pleaded for lenient bond terms.
“I urge this court to free me on bond as it is both my constitutional and fundamental right,” Karanja prayed.
He added that he is not a flight risk and no compelling reasons have been advanced by the prosecution to warrant the court exercise its discretion otherwise.
But the state prosecutor urged the court to take judicial notice that the case against the Uber driver is not an ordinary traffic case.
“I urge this court to take judicial notice that the accused herein is charged with abducting a senior police officer with intend to secretly and wrongfully confine the law enforcer,” the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor urged the court to impose stringent bail terms.
But the magistrate freed him on a cash bail of Sh200,000 saying although the allegations are serious they cannot be used as a reason to deny the accused bond or impose stringent terms.
Shitubi, however, required the accused to observe bail terms by turning up in court during his trial.
The court directed the prosecution to supply him with exhibits and witness statements.
The case will be mentioned after two weeks.
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