Azimio moves to court seeking release of Babu Owino and other leaders
National
By
Esther Nyambura
| Jul 20, 2023
Embakasi East MP Paul Ongili Owino aka Babu Owino at the Parliament buildings, Nairobi on June 6, 2023 [Elvis Ogina, Standard]
The Azimio la Umoja coalition has moved to court seeking the release of its leaders and allies who were arrested for taking part in the Wednesday protests.
Through lawyer Dunstan Omari, the coalition decried the detention of nine members whom they say are being held unlawfully.
Among those, the coalition wants released is Embakasi MP Babu Owino, Raila Odinga's spokesman Dennis Onyango, Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga, his aide Victor Katana and Kilifi County Speaker Teddy Mwambire.
Others are Wilfred Odalo, Hudson Onyango, Eric Otieno and Antony Otsyula.
Raila Odinga's bodyguard Maurice Ogeta's name is included in the suit but according to Odinga, he has since been released.
The party through its Director of Communication Phillip Etale claimed that Makadara MP George Aladwa was also arrested in Kilimani.
Babu Owino was allegedly arrested on Wednesday at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after jetting into Nairobi from Mombasa.
His counterpart Aladwa was arrested on Tuesday evening near Kilimani a few moments after arriving from a meeting with Kenya Rural Roads Authority in Mombasa.
Onyango on the other hand was arrested after police officers raided Odinga's home along Mbagathi Way, ransacked it and drove away with him.
Filed under a certificate of urgency, the coalition wants the nine produced in court whether dead or alive.
They have sued the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police (IG) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP).
"The applicant herein were on July 19, 2023, arrested at various places and whisked to various destinations that are unknown to their family members, friends and acquaintances within the ranks of the official opposition of the government of Kenya," reads the application.
"They were last seen with members of the police IG some of whom not only wore their official uniforms but also drove Government of Kenya vehicles where they were bungled up and whisked to unknown or undisclosed locations."
Chonga, Mwambire and Katana spent the night in police custody in Mtwapa and it is expected they will be arraigned in court.