Kilifi DG Presents Results To Prove He Didn’t Test Positive For Coronavirus

As prosecution continues to buy more time to keep the Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi in custody, the more continues to unravel.

During a bail hearing before Mombasa Principal Magistrate Elvis Michieka on Wednesday 15th, the DG through his lawyer George Kithi insists that he has never tested positive for the Covid19.

This came at the backdrop that initial test done by KEMRI found him positive only to turn negative when he was taken by the government to Coast Provincial General Hospital. Two subsequent tests ordered by the government also turned negative.

The lawyer said that reports linking Saburi to COVID-19 were “crafted to tarnish my client’s reputation”.

“Your honour, we can confirm that my client did not submit any samples to KEMRI, which diagnosed him with COVID-19. Tests conducted on my client at the Coast Provincial General Hospital (CPGH) two days later showed that he was COVID-19 negative,” said Kithi.

“Your honour, [I know that] miracles do happen. But, on my client’s case, how would you explain this: his samples tested by KEMRI [on first occasion], indicated he was COVID-19 positive, then two days later, another test by CPGH confirms him to be coronavirus negative?” posed Kithi.

Kithi presented before the court documents to exonerating the DG from the accusations that he deliberately put the health of the public in danger by mingling despite the knowledge of his status and not quarantining as required by the law. He tabled medical results of the DG to prove that he was negative.

“My client has never met the doctor who signed a report on his COVID-19 test outcome, which confirmed him to be positive for the virus,” said Kithi in reference to the KEMRI report.

Saburi is accused of breaching Section 28 (a) of the Public Health Act, which states that: “Any person who while suffering from any infectious disease, willfully exposes himself without proper precautions against spreading the said disease in any street, public place, shop, inn or public conveyance, or enters any public conveyance without previously notifying the owner, conductor or driver thereof that he is so suffering, shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding thirty thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both.”

Saburi will know his fate on where he’ll be released or not on Thursday.

On Wednesday, state counsel Alloys Kemo applied to have Saburi detained for 10 more days to allow the investigation officers to complete their investigations.

He has already spent 13 days at the Port police Station since his arrest.

State counsel Alloys Kemo on Wednesday said the police need more time to collect evidence and record statement from key witnesses, including Kilifi governor Amason Kingi and Kilifi County Finance Chief Officer.