Flying squad arrests Babu Owino over assault

Embakasi East Member of Parliament Paul Ongili alias Babu Owino has been arrested January 19, 2018 by flying squad officers outside Parliament buildings over claims of assault and malicious damage of property.

The arrest comes days after a video went viral on social media, where men believed to be the legislator and his aides were seen roughing up a parking attendant in Westlands, Nairobi.

The MP, however, would post on his official Twitter handle a conflicting report on why he was arrested.

"Been arrested. Held at Parklands. Charges are two. Harbouring intention to overthrow the government. Assault. It shall be well," read the tweet.

In September 2017, the controversial legislator was arrested over alleged abusive remarks on President Uhuru Kenyatta.

He was later released on a Sh500, 000 bail and two sureties of Sh1 million each. He was facing charges of subversion and offensive conduct as well as an alternative charge of incitement to violence.

Election petition

The embattled MP also risks losing his parliamentary seat after Francis Wambugu Mureithi of Jubilee Party filed petition against his election.

Mureithi has told the High Court that Babu Owino instigated violence at the polling station which disenfranchised his supporters during the August 8 election.

The lawmaker, while testifying before High Court in Nairobi in December 2017 denied that there was violence at the polling stations and that he did not attack his opponent Joshua Obiende of the Amani National Congress (ANC).

Owino told the High Court in Nairobi that Obiende is a sickly person, who has a condition of unexpected collapsing. He mantained his rival collapsed on the Election Day and was hurt on the forehead.

The young legislator is being held at Parkland police station. According to police sources, he will remain in custody as investigations into the matter continued.