Police pursue Kasipul MP Ong'ondo Were over gang attack

Kasipul MP Ong'ondo Were addresses the media at Kisumu International airport on June 03,20I9 after chaos in Kasipul that left one person dead and others injured. [Denish Ochieng/Standard]

Police in Homa Bay County are in pursuit of Kasipul MP Ong'ondo Were over gang attack which left one person dead and two others seriously injured.

Nyanza Regional Police Coordinator Dr Vincent Makokha on Monday said the police had already obtained a warrant of arrest and were looking for the MP.

"We have already arrested four people in connection with the incident, and we are now looking for the MP who has gone into hiding," said Makokha.

He said the four in custody are expected to be arraigned in court any time.

The attack happened at a hotel in Oyugis town where a Mr Kenneth Jabuya was allegedly attacked by people who were under the MP's directive.

One of the attackers identified as Jerry Okisi was later lynched by the mob, while Lamon Okoth and Roy were left injured.

Today, Lamon was still admitted at Rachuonyo Level Four Hospital in critical condition after he was also roughed up by locals after the attack in East Kamagak location.

At the time of the attack, the victim; Jabuya was having tea at the hotel before the area MP Charles Were allegedly moved in accompanied by the alleged attackers.

After alighting from the Constituency Development Fund van, the MP is said to have walked upstairs leaving the attackers who immediately pounced on Jabuya, a tutor in one polytechnic in Homa Bay County. The MP was not in the company of his official bodyguard.

Jabuya who is admitted at a private hospital in Kisii could not manage to speak to the media but doctors at the facility said the patient was in deep pain and had lost a lot of blood.

RAM Hospital Patron Joseph Otende said the patient was stable though had serious intestinal injuries with the gut having been affected too.

“We have done blood transfusion but still we are doing more to recover the lost blood,” he said.

Will Abongo who was also assaulted in Kisumu last week by the same attackers said they have been victims of the MP’s goons for some time now adding that they are being accused of doing what is their constitutional right; positive criticism.

“Positive criticism is our constitutional right, but if the MP feels aggrieved let him invite the police to carry out investigations not to hire goons with intent to kill,” said Abongo.

Abongo is said to have reported the matter at Kondele Police station in Kisumu through OB number 47/30/05/2019. He said the MP and those he accuses to have attacked him took his phone and Sh3, 000. “We have even been positively criticizing the county government but it has never got into a situation where goons are hired to kill innocent people.”

He accused the MP of giving out handouts to goons in the village to track and harm people perceived to be against his regime. “The attacks and threats began a month ago but let him know that we will not tire to speak our mind.”

Mr Were who later addressed the media on Monday at Kisumu International Airport, however, distanced himself from the incident, but said he was ready to record a statement with the police should he be called upon.

"I received a call from a Mr Njoroge who asked me to report at the DCI headquarters in Nairobi at 3 pm today, but I suspect the caller was a conman," said Were.

He, however, admitted having been in the hotel where the incident occurred but denied witnessing it.

“We can be together but whatever the characters did was their personal decision. It is true I was in the hotel but didn’t know that some people had been attacked until I was informed by the management.”

Mr Were has also called on the police to retrieve the CCTV footage in the hotel to help in finding the truth about the incident.