Kilifi Deputy Governor Saburi to be charged today after recovery
Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi will be arraigned in Mombasa Law Courts today to answer to charges of not isolating himself upon arrival from Germany on March 7.
The DG has been held at the Port Police Station after he was arrested on Friday by detectives at the Coast General Referral Hospital and is likely to face charges of placing lives of other citizens at risk under the Public Health Act, 2012.
Saburi tested positive for coronavirus and was taken into forced isolation until last week on Thursday, when Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced he had recovered.
“He will be arraigned in Mombasa Law Courts in a special sitting due to Covid-19 precautionary guidelines. He must face the law,” said a judicial officer who is not authorised to speak to the media.
News of Saburi’s recovery were welcomed by many including local leadership with some calling for Kilifi residents to forgive him for the crimes he might have committed.
“Forgive Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi. And I wish all the five who were infected through him quick recovery,” said Kilifi North MP Owen Baya.
However, despite his recovery, dark shadows of the disease continue to haunt the residents of Kilifi. Already several positive cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the county, most of whom had interacted with the deputy governor.
The DG’s driver is still undergoing treatment after testing positive. Rabai MP William Kamoti also tested positive and is in isolation at a Mombasa hospital.
Two Kilifi county MCAs who also tested positive for the coronavirus disease after they had close contact with the deputy governor are now in isolation.
Governor Amason Kingi confirmed he was in self-quarantine as he had been in contact with his deputy.
Further, some 17 police officers from Mtwapa who are said to have interacted with the governor are still in self isolation.
