The High Court has declined to hear an appeal by Oki General Trading Limited Director, Mr. Khatwani, seeking permission to travel to India for business.
Justice Mungai ruled that the application could not be entertained as the court is currently on recess.
In the meantime,the judge directed Khatwani to serve the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) with the application, with the matter set for mention after the vacation.
“I will not grant the orders sought at the moment because the court is in recess,” Justice Mungai stated.
Khatwani had moved to the High Court after Milimani Chief Magistrate Dolphina Alego denied his request to travel outside the country. Magistrate Alego held that the accused had failed to provide sufficient grounds to justify the release of his travel documents.
The magistrate further noted that Khatwani had not demonstrated any change in circumstances to warrant a review of his bail terms. In her ruling, Alego emphasized that the accused had also failed to provide evidence showing he was required to travel to India on Saturday, August 2, 2025, or that his proposed 20-day trip was for essential business reasons.
In his appeal filed before High, Khatwani’s lawyer, Ken Echesa, argues that the trial court failed to consider that his client is a first-time offender with no history of being a flight risk.
He maintained that denying him the opportunity to travel would cause irreparable harm to his business, which relies heavily on international transactions requiring his physical presence in India.
