The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has appealed the release on bail of a suspect in the murder of Kaspul MP Ongondo Were.
This follows the release of businessman Philip Aroko on Sh300,000 cash bail by a Jomo Kenyatta International Airport magistrate court.
JKIA Law Courts Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi imposed several conditions on Aroko’s release.
He was ordered to surrender his passport to the court and is prohibited from travelling to Homa Bay, the home county of the late MP.
Additionally, the court restricted him from contacting family members, other suspects, or any individuals associated with the case.
The court also directed that Aroko refrain from interfering with any evidence that could be critical to the ongoing investigation.
As part of his bail conditions, Aroko is required to report regularly to investigating officers and to provide any evidence needed in connection with the case.
The prosecution had initially requested that Aroko remain in custody, citing the high public interest of the case and the need for further investigation.
Aroko is among 12 suspects under investigation for the murder of MP Were.
The court has scheduled the next mention for June 3, 2025.
But the ODPP filed a notice of appeal in the case.
Inspector Oliver Nabonwe swore an affidavit indicating Aroko has given new information that requires more time to be investigated before a decision to charge is made.
He added the cybercrime and Forensic report from the National Forensic Laboratory is yet to be received.
This report will be used to further interrogate the respondent, an exercise that would require the physical presence of the respondent and more time.
The prosecution said in the appeal the financial report from the Financial Reporting Centre is yet to be received to enable the investigators exhaustively interrogate the respondent on the financial aspect of this investigations.
“That after interrogating some suspects in custody, more witnesses have been identified whose statements are yet to b e recorded. This will require more time before the investigations are concluded.”
“That so far, our investigations have revealed that the respondent jointly with others in the custody are linked to the murder of the late Hon.
Charles Ong’ondo Were, the deceased person herein and therefore could be charged with an offence of Murder once investigations are concluded,” read the documents.
The documents added after interrogating some suspects in custody, more witnesses have been identified whose statement are yet to be recorded and this will require more time before the investigations are concluded.
The affidavit says police need seven more days to conduct investigations on the new information that was provided by the respondent during his interview and statement recording.
They need time to trace, interview and record statements of the new identified witnesses some of whom are within Homabay County.
The police need to analyze the deceased person’s, Aroko’s and other suspects call data records and interrogate the respondent on the same.
Aroko was arrested after he was mentioned in the probe into the murder of the MP. Were was shot and killed on April 30, 2025 along Valley Road in Nairobi.
So far 12 suspects including the one who police say pulled the trigger have been arrested.
The killer weapon has also been recovered so far among other exhibits.
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