Getaway rider in Kasipul MP Were's murder arrested

DCI officers collect evidence at the scene where Kasipul MP Ong'ondo Were was shot dead along Ngong Road, Nairobi, on May 1, 2025. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Detectives on Tuesday, May 13, arrested another suspect in connection with the murder of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong'ondo Were.

According to the police, Amos Barasa, a boda boda rider, is believed to have used his motorbike to carry the MP's killer, trail his vehicle, and later as a getaway bike after the attack.

Arrested in Nairobi's Kibera area, Barasa was found in possession of the motorcycle, which matches the description of the bike captured by CCTV footage near Parliament, and was seen trailing the late MP's vehicle.

"It was revealed that Barasa served as the rider of the motorcycle with registration number KMFZ 413W, a Bajaj Boxer, which the assailants used to trail the MP's vehicle and later as a getaway bike after the attack. Upon his arrest, Barasa was found in possession of the motorcycle in question."

According to the authorities, the suspect is a habitual criminal who masquerades as a Boda Boda operator, often collaborating with armed criminal gangs during their operations.

During interrogation, Barasa allegedly admitted to the crime, revealing that he was paid Sh50,000 for his involvement.

His arrest brings the number of suspects in custody to 12.

Despite the arrests, confusion over who actually pulled the trigger and details of what led to the killing continue to arise.

Initially, detectives named William Imoli, one of the first suspects arrested, as the man who pulled the trigger.

But over the weekend, they arrested Isaac Kuria, alias "Kush", in Isebania at the Kenya-Tanzania border, claiming he is the shooter and that Imoli is believed to have helped plan and finance the murder, and not the man behind the trigger.

Additionally, the investigators had indicated that a sports bike was used by the assassin, but yesterday, they linked a Bajaj motorbike to the crime.

The web of contradicting statements and shifting roles only seems to thicken the mystery.

However, the detectives say they are now analysing financial transactions linked to the suspects in the hope that this might help establish what happened.

So far, police have recovered large sums of cash, including Sh615,000, from one suspect's house as forensic analysis of all the exhibits is ongoing.