Richard Alden granted bail in murder case

Former Wananchi CEO Richard Alden has been granted bail for KES2 million (US$19,700) by a Kenyan court.

Alden, who served as chief executive of the Kenya-based media group until last year and is also a former CEO of Spanish cable operator Ono, has been charged with the murder of Grace Wangeci at his home in an exclusive district of Nairobi.

The Kenyan High Court Justice Jessie Lesiit dismissed objections by the prosecutor to granting Alden bail, saying he was not a flight risk. Alden has been ordered to report to his local police station twice a week and surrender his passport pending the trial.

Alden has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Wangeci, with whom prosecutors allege he was in a relationship.

In addition to murder, Alden has been charged with possession of a firearm without a licence. He will submit a plea in relation to that charge this week.

Alden was appointed CEO of Wananchi in 2013. His term in the post ended in November, and he was replaced as CEO by Santiago Benedit, formerly chief financial officer at VimpelCom Group-owned Orascom Telecom Algeria/Djezzy.

Alden served as CEO of Ono from 1998-2009, when he was replaced by Rosalía Portela. He subsequently served as president of European operations at US software company TOA.

Alden also served on the board of Basque Country regional cable operator Euskaltel until May.