Nairobi tycoon Praful Kumar was charged with three counts of bribery in a Mombasa court on Wednesday.
He pleaded not guilty before Senior principal magistrate Henry Nyakweba.
The charge sheet stated that on August 20 in Kanamai, Kilifi county, Kumar allegedly offered Sh5 million to Nairobi governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko to approve his property.
The proprietor of Grand Manor Hotel was also accused of offering Sh1 million to Sonko on the same date.
His lawyer Kithinji Marete pleaded with the court to grant him bail.
Kumar said he is a law-abiding citizen and he will appear before court whenever necessary.
However, state prosecutor Eugene Wangila objected his release on bond.
He said the business said Kumar was a flight risk. He is likely to abscond court sittings, Wangila said.
The prosecutor said the suspect had not deposited his passport with the police and it was easy for him to leave the country.
He further told the court that Kumar was yet to reveal the whereabouts of his family.
“The accused person lives in Nairobi but he was arrested in Mombasa,” Wangila said.
The ruling on bond will be done on Thursday.