Suspect in shooting of conservancy manager freed on Sh500,000 bond

A 52-year-old man suspected of shooting and injuring a Mara Conservancies top manager in April has been released on a Sh500,000 bond after spending a month in police custody. 

Mr Saiyalel Ronko appeared before Narok Senior Resident Magistrate Phylis Shinyada and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Mr Ronko, the court heard, committed the offence in Ololtua village. He allegedly shot Mr Daniel Muli, programmes manager with the Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association, 12 times with an AK-47 rifle. Three bullets hit Mr Muli.

The incident happened on April 23 at around 7.30pm. Mr Muli was ambushed while entering his home in his car.

The accused was arrested on April 29 and had been in custody as police completed their investigations. 

Mr Ronko’s lawyer, Ms Brigid Bosibori, argued that her client had been detained for 35 days and that despite the court granting him the bond of Sh500,000 on May 30, police continued to detain him.

She told the court that her client was not a flight risk, was a family man with two wives and children and that he was safe going back home.

Prosecutors, led by state counsel Tito Wanga, opposed granting the suspect bond, saying his life would be at risk from irate members of the public if he was released. 

But the magistrate granted him bond and a surety of the same amount and freed him. 

“The accused was in custody for 25 days before the bond was granted. The argument that the accused’s life was at risk, therefore, does not hold water. I have gone through all the documents and hereby release him on the said bond,” said Ms Shinyada.

The case will be mentioned on August 15 and will come up for hearing on August 29.