The JKIA Law Court will tomorrow deliver a ruling on whether it has jurisdiction to hear an application in the murder of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Were.
This is after the suspects, Lake Basin Authority director Ebel Ochieng alias Dave Calo, Edwin Oduor Odhiambo, Dennis Sewe Manyasi, Allan Ogola Omondi and Walter Owino Awino were arraigned in court under a miscellaneous application where the police sought orders to detain them for 30 days to conclude investigations.
However, Ochieng’s lawyers led by Danstan Omari, Cliff Ombeta, Sam Nyaberi and Shadrack Wambui challenged the courts’ territorial jurisdiction to hear the application.
According to lawyers, the crime was committed around Ngong Road and therefore the court with proper jurisdiction would be Kibera Law Courts.
Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi heard that the deceased also worked in Nairobi CBD along Parliament road and therefore another court with jurisdiction would be Milimani Law Courts.
The prosecution opposed the same stating that JKIA Law Courts has jurisdiction to hear the application.
Omari also raised the issue of another suspect, Philip Nahashon Aroko who is also their client.
He told the court that Aroko was arrested yesterday but was not produced in court together with the other suspects.
The court heard that Aroko and Ochieng are suspects because of political reasons.
According to the lawyers, both suspects are ODM politicians who intended to vie for the Kasipul MP seat in the next election.
However, the magistrate ruled that since Aroko was not arraigned before her, she would not hear an application on him unless he is arraigned.
The court will deliver a ruling on the jurisdiction application on 9th May 2025.
In the meantime, the suspects will remanded at Langata, Gigiri, Pangani, Kiambu and Embakasi Police Stations respectively.
