Raphael Tuju Granted KSh200,000 Anticipatory Bond After Admission to ICU

Raphael Tuju Granted KSh200,000 Anticipatory Bond After Admission to ICU

Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has secured temporary relief from arrest after the High Court granted him an anticipatory bond of KSh200,000 amid ongoing investigations into allegations that he staged his own abduction.

In orders issued on Tuesday, March 24, the court barred police from arresting or detaining Tuju pending the outcome of investigations, allowing him to remain free on bond or an equivalent cash bail.

The ruling was delivered by Justice Martin M. Muya following an urgent application by Tuju’s legal team seeking protection from law enforcement agencies.

“That the applicants are hereby admitted on an Anticipatory bond of KSh. 200,000 (two hundred thousand) with one (1) surety each or cash bail of similar amount,” the court order stated in part.

The court further directed that the matter be heard during the judicial vacation after certifying it as urgent, underscoring the seriousness of the circumstances surrounding the case.

Tuju had spent much of Monday and Tuesday in police custody at Karen Police Station as detectives sought orders to detain him over claims that his reported disappearance was fabricated.

During his detention, his health reportedly deteriorated, prompting officers to rush him to The Karen Hospital for emergency treatment, where he was later admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Political allies who accompanied him to hospital — including Kalonzo Musyoka of the Wiper Democratic Movement and Eugene Wamalwa of Democratic Action Party of Kenya — accused authorities of mishandling the former minister, alleging that his detention contributed to the deterioration of his condition.

In his court application, Tuju sought orders restraining the National Police Service, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from summoning, arresting, or interfering with his liberty while investigations continue.

Tuju was arrested on March 23 following claims by DCI Director Mohamed Amin that the former Cabinet Secretary staged his disappearance to attract public sympathy amid a long-running financial dispute.

Authorities say his vehicle was found abandoned along Miotoni Lane before he later resurfaced. Tuju, however, maintains that he went into hiding due to credible threats to his safety.

Police allege that the purported abduction was intended to influence public opinion in connection with an ongoing debt dispute involving the East African Development Bank (EADB).

The former Jubilee Party Secretary General has been locked in a protracted legal battle with the bank over a loan initially valued at about USD 9 million (approximately KSh1.2 billion). With accumulated interest and penalties, the amount is said to have ballooned to between KSh2.2 billion and KSh4.5 billion.

Previous court rulings permitted the bank to auction properties associated with Tuju’s firm, Dari Limited, to recover the outstanding debt — a development widely seen as a turning point in the dispute.

Legal analysts say anticipatory bonds are typically granted where a court is persuaded that an arrest may violate constitutional rights or be used to intimidate a suspect before formal charges are filed.

The High Court’s decision effectively shields Tuju from immediate arrest but does not halt investigations, meaning detectives can continue gathering evidence and may still recommend charges depending on their findings.

The case has drawn intense public interest, combining elements of political intrigue, financial disputes, and allegations of abuse of legal processes.

As Tuju remains hospitalised,As Tuju remains hospitalised and the next phase of the investigation, with authorities expected to update the public once inquiries are complete.

For now, the former Cabinet Secretary’s fate hangs in the balance — protected by court orders, yet still under the scrutiny of investigators seeking to establish the truth behind the controversial disappearance.

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Raphael Tuju Granted KSh200,000 Anticipatory Bond After Admission to ICU