Comedian Eric Omondi pleaded not guilty to a charge of obstructing the operation of motor vehicles on a public road.
When the case came up in court on Monday, Omondi denied the charge under Section 58(c) of the Kenya Roads Act. The court granted him a personal bond of Ksh. 100,000.
Omondi’s lawyers, Danstan Omari and Babu Owino, urged the court to allow him to remain out on favorable bond terms. They argued that the offense is bailable and that the circumstances of the case did not justify keeping him in detention.
According to the charge sheet, Omondi allegedly unlawfully obstructed vehicle movement on Kimathi Street in Nairobi on May 18, 2026. The prosecution said he offloaded 120 empty 10-liter plastic jerricans from motor vehicle registration number KAR 508Y, an Isuzu lorry, thereby disrupting the free flow of traffic.
Lawyer Danstan Omari told the court that the 120 jerricans were meant for distribution to residents to help them fetch and store water. He said many ordinary Kenyans rely on such containers for their daily needs.
Omari added that the prosecution’s narrative did not reflect the purpose of the items, saying Omondi had political ambitions and bought the jerricans to take to his supporters. He told the court that people commonly use jerricans to collect water, and that since authorities confiscated the 120 containers, the intended beneficiaries had been unable to access them.
Babu Owino then told the court that police officers removed Omondi from a flight while he was travelling and arrested him. He argued that the arrest method breached Omondi’s constitutional rights, citing Article 28 of the Constitution on human dignity.
Owino said the comedian’s arrest at an international airport embarrassed him and violated his dignity. He added that he reported to where Omondi had been detained to request bail, but the officer in charge declined the request.
Omondi’s lawyer also questioned the basis of the charge, arguing that the alleged obstruction occurred during a day of protests when traffic movement in the city had already stalled.
He told the court that “there was no vehicle to be obstructed” that day, adding that even police vehicles had been parked because of fuel shortages.
Babu Owino urged the court to release Omondi on a personal bond. He said law enforcement agencies should direct their resources toward more serious criminal offences.
The prosecution opposed the application and told the court that Omondi had received summons but failed to comply, which led to his arrest. It also stated that Omondi had not boarded the flight when police arrested him.
The case will be mentioned on July 2, 2026.
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