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Journalist Dola faces arrest after jumping bail


The High Court has issued a warrant of arrest against a journalist accused of killing his wife.

Justice David Majanja ordered Moses Dola Otieno be arrested and produced in court for jumping bail.

Mr Dola , who is out on a Sh500, 000 cash bail, has denied killing former NTV broadcaster Sarah Wambui Kabiru at their Umoja estate home in Nairobi.

The case against Mr Dola was scheduled to commence on Monday.

State counsel Florence Magoma urged the court to issue the warrant since “no explanation has been offered for his (Mr Dola) absence in court.”

The journalist was released on bond by Mr Justice Nicholas Ombija.

Before being released in on September 2011, he had been in custody since May 4, 2011 when he was arrested in Naivasha.

Mr Dola went into hiding after Wambui’s body was discovered on their bed by neighbours, but he turned himself in at the Naivasha Police station three days later.

Lawyer Cliff Ombeta said Mr Dola, had been in custody for “too long” and has a right to be freed before his trial is over.

On September 2011, he was ordered to pay Sh1 million but he said he could not raise the money. The bail was reduced to Sh500,000.

He filed the application for bond after his plea to have the charges reduced to manslaughter was rejected by the Attorney General.

The AG said the state has evidence for a murder trial against him. This was after a medical examination by a psychiatrist confirmed that he is mentally fit to stand trial.

According to Article 49 of the Constitution, an accused person has the right to be released on bond or bail on reasonable conditions pending trial, unless there are compelling reasons not to be released.

The state had claimed that he is a flight risk and may interfere with witnesses.