Suna East MP and ODM Director of Elections Junet Mohammed has been released on a bond of sh500, 000 after his arrest on Friday morning for alleged hate speech.
He was arraigned before a Homa Bay Court after his arrest at Homa Bay airstrip.
He has been accused of issuing inciting remarks at Tourist Hotel in the County on July 2 where he is reported to have targeted people from Nyeri County.
The Suna East MP according to the Star said: ““Jana nilimwambia Governor Joho kabla ya kuja hapa atayarishe Makaburini grounds huko Mombasa. Tutakuja na Baba (Raila Odinga) aapishwe. Yeye atakuwa rais wa huko pwani Nyanza, Western na North Eastern. Na hawa watabaki huko kwao Nyeri.”
This loosely transaltes to: “Yesterday I told Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho that before coming here, he should prepare Makaburini grounds. We will go there with Raila and he will be sworn in. He will be the president in the Coast, Nyanza, Western and North Eastern. The others will remain at their home in Nyeri.”
Appearing before Homa Bay principal Magistrate Susan Ndegwa, the court heard Junet’s statement were intended to incite contempt, hatred and discrimination against the people of Nyeri based on their ethnicity.
His lawyer Samuel Nyauke appealed to the court for a bond of Sh50,000 on grounds that he has never skipped court sessions.
But state prosecutor Denis Shabola objected to Nyauke’s request prompting the Magistrate to set bond at sh500, 000 and sh100, 000 cash bail.
Upon his release, Junet said his arrest was politically motivated.
“There is no offence I committed that warrants my arrest. Jubilee Party is just trying to gag those who condemn election rigging tricks,” he said.
This is the second MP time has been arrested for incitement.
He was among the infamous Pangani six.