Raila Odinga, Salim Mvurya forgive Kwale attacker

Lengo Karisa Mudzomba, the man who attacked former PM Raila Odinga and Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya. (Photo:Maarufu Mohamed/Standard)

Kenya: Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader Raila Odinga and Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya have said they will not press charges against the man who attacked them during a rally in Kwale on Monday.

The two leaders will therefore not apply for or file P3 forms that the prosecution requires to proceed with assault charges against Lengo Karisa Mudzomba.

"Instead, Governor Mvurya will seek out Mudzomba to understand his problems and motives. Mr Mvurya will also try to understand what the provocation was or the issue that the man wanted to protest against," said Mr Odinga in a statement, through his spokesman Dennis Onyango.

Mudzomba, a shamba boy in Kwale, caused a scare by hitting Odinga and Mvurya with a walking stick during a rally in Kwale County on Monday.

He appeared in court on Tuesday and was charged with attacking Odinga and Mvurya and pleaded to the charges and asked for time to apologise to the people he had assaulted.

Police were given two weeks to produce legal documents as evidence that Odinga was assaulted in Kwale on Monday.

On Tuesday, the prosecution successfully applied for the court to give the police two weeks so that the P3 forms could be filled in a case where Mudzomba is charged with assaulting Odinga and Mvurya.

The case was filed by James Mwamongo Dena on behalf of CORD while Richard Munyoki and Rashid Bora are listed as witnesses.

Before Kwale Resident Magistrate Christin Njagi, the stunned Mudzombo said, "Because I don't want to waste your time as you have come with the Press, I will just plead guilty but I urge the court to give me one week to seek forgiveness from the two."

The magistrate did not rule on Mudzomba's request.