Reprieve For Siaya Priest Charged With Spreading COVID-19 As Case Is Withdrawn

A Siaya priest who was in April charged with intentionally spreading the deadly Covid-19 can breathe easy after the prosecution withdrew the case.

Father Richard Oduor who is based in Rome was arrested for declining to self-quarantine for 14 days as was required for those getting into into the country.

He was charged at Milimani Law Courts and later released on a Sh150,000 cash bail or Sh500,000 bond after entering a not guilty plea.

In an application to withdraw the case, the prosecution said the Investigating Officer failed to produce witnesses at least 9 times, stalling the case.

The case has been withdrawn under section 87(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code which permits the prosecutor to apply before the court seized of the case to withdraw charges facing an accused person at any time before final Judgement.

The cleric returned to Kenya on March 11, spent a day at Utawala in Nairobi before travelling to his home county of Siaya where he conducted a mass at a burial on March 13.

It was after returning to Nairobi that he started showing Covid-19 symptoms prompting his hospitalization at Kenyatta National Hospital.

He tested negative for the novel Covid-19 a few weeks later.