City lawyer Collins Osewe freed on Sh300,000 bail in gold case
A Kenyan court has granted bail to city lawyer Alphonce Collins Osewe in a Sh35.7 million fake gold fraud case. The magistrate ruled that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify denying his constitutional right to bail.
Why it matters
This case highlights ongoing judicial scrutiny regarding the prosecution's burden of proof in high-profile white-collar crime cases in Kenya.
City lawyer Alphonce Collins/SCREENGRAB City lawyer Alphonce Collins Osewe has been released on Sh300,000 bail after a Milimani court found that the prosecution had failed to demonstrate compelling reasons to deny him bail in a Sh35.7 million fake gold case.
Chief Magistrate Gethi Kibiru delivered the ruling on Thursday, a day after Osewe denied multiple charges, including obtaining money by false pretences and acquisition of proceeds of crime.
In allowing the application, the magistrate held that although the prosecution had argued that Osewe had failed to attend court for an extended period, the material placed before the court did not establish that he had deliberately absconded.
"The court is consequently not persuaded that the prosecution has established compelling reasons sufficient to deny the first accused (Collins) his constitutional right to bail," the magistrate ruled.
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