Court grants ex-top cop bail

 By CHARLES MOI 

THE Supreme Court has granted bail to convicted contemnor and former Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki pending his appeal against the conviction.

Justice Terence Higgins, presiding as a single Supreme Court judge, granted a K5000 bail after considering a submission by Vaki’s lawyer Greg Sheppard. 

Higgins considered that Vaki’s jail term would be served while awaiting the determination of the appeal given that he would be given the maximum remissions available and time for eligibility for parole.  

His bail conditions are that he is to expedite his appeal and report to the Supreme Court registry every Monday. 

Sheppard said Vaki, 63, suffered from a chronic allergic condition and needed regular medical treatment. 

Lawyer MacRonald Nale, representing the respondents National Fraud and Anti Corruption Directorate Director Matthew Damaru and Assistant Director Timothy Gitua, objected to bail. 

Nale said Vaki did not provide evidence that he would be denied access to seek medical condition. 

Nale said the ground of Vaki being a former Police Commissioner and facing risk of being jailed did not amount to an exceptional circumstance.