Kenya Rally Driver Bailed on Murder Charge

FILE: Kenyan motor rally driver Maxine Wahome, and her attorney, Cliff Ombeta in a Chief Magistrate's court, Nairobi on January 12, 2023

NAIROBI - A Kenyan court on Thursday released on bail motor rally driver Maxine Wahome, who has been in police custody on murder charges.

"I hereby grant the accused a bond of two million Kenyan shillings ($15,100) with a surety of a similar amount," ruled high court judge Lilian Mutende, adding that the prosecution did not present convincing evidence to deny her bail.

Mutende ordered Wahome to deposit her passport with the court and keep away from any witnesses.

Wahome, 27, is accused of attacking her 50-year-old boyfriend and fellow rally driver Asad Khan at their apartment in the capital Nairobi in December last year.

Khan succumbed to injuries on his right ankle after a week in hospital.

Wahome, who won acclaim when she became the first Kenyan woman to win the third-tier WRC Safari Rally in June last year, has denied any wrongdoing.

This month she was dropped from the WRC Young Rally Stars program.