A court has declined a request from Mumias East MP Peter Salasya’s legal team to have his firearm returned to his security detail. The court ruled it lacked the jurisdiction to authorize the release of the weapon, which was seized as evidence during the MP’s arrest.
Principal Magistrate Paul Mutai clarified that the court could not determine the evidentiary value of the firearm at this early stage.
“I find no evidence that the accused’s rights were violated, and the application by the defence stands dismissed,” said Magistrate Mutai on Wednesday.
The court also rejected claims that Salasya’s rights were infringed during his arrest, noting that the defence had failed to present sufficient proof.
Meanwhile, the court granted a separate request from Salasya’s legal team to allow the MP to attend future court sessions virtually.
Salasya, who faces hate speech charges, had earlier been released on a bond of Ksh500,000 or a cash bail of Ksh200,000.
The case is expected to proceed to pre-trial on June 18, 2025.