NAIROBI KENYA — The ongoing investigation into the murder of Kasipul Member of Parliament, the late Charles Ong’ondo Were, has identified a key suspect captured on surveillance footage trailing the legislator in the minutes leading up to his fatal shooting along Valley Road.
Reports indicate that the late Mr. Were sustained at least four close-range gunshot wounds inflicted by a lone assailant who subsequently fled the scene on a waiting sport motorbike.
Detectives retracing the MP’s movements on his final day are currently analyzing CCTV footage and testimonies from his driver and bodyguard in their pursuit of the individuals responsible.
The crime scene analysis revealed three bullet impacts on the passenger side of the vehicle and bloodstains on the center console, corroborating the police’s assessment of a meticulously planned assassination executed with precision by a hired gunman.
On Thursday, the investigation expanded to the National Assembly, where the late Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were spent a significant portion of his day attending to parliamentary duties.
According to preliminary reports, the MP departed Parliament shortly before 7:00 p.m., accompanied by his driver and bodyguard.
Surveillance footage indicates the vehicle proceeded along City Hall Way before turning onto Wabera Street, the location where the MP’s car briefly halted.
During this stop, his bodyguard exited the vehicle and entered an M-Pesa shop, reportedly depositing Ksh. 20,000 into the MP’s mobile phone. CCTV footage from this vicinity captured a hooded individual carrying a bag observing the vehicle.
The cameras further recorded the MP and his companions leaving the area at 7:19 p.m., proceeding onto Kenyatta Avenue. The driver altered their route, utilizing Ralph Bunche Road to circumvent traffic congestion before continuing onto Argwings Kodhek Road.
Unaware of the surveillance, they entered Valley Road, where traffic congestion slowed their progress. The same hooded individual previously seen monitoring the vehicle on Wabera Street was reportedly observed following closely on a sport motorbike.
When the vehicle came to a stop at a red traffic light at 7:40 p.m., the suspect dismounted the motorbike, approached the passenger side of the car, and directly targeted the MP.
The assassin discharged four shots at close range, shattering the window and striking the MP in the chest and hand. The assailant then fled towards the waiting sport motorbike, and the rider accelerated towards Nairobi CBD.
The bodyguard, who was seated behind the MP, reportedly informed investigators that the sudden shooting caught him off guard, forcing him to take cover before exiting the vehicle to pursue the attackers, who had already fled the scene.
He immediately rushed to aid the MP, who was bleeding profusely and appealing for assistance. They transported him urgently to Nairobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Also Read: Police seek public help in probe into targeted killing of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were
The driver and the bodyguard sustained no injuries in the attack, which transpired in under a minute on a busy thoroughfare.
Homicide detectives, led by their director, Martin Nyuguto, visited the scene on Thursday morning to reconstruct the sequence of events and recovered three spent cartridges, which will undergo ballistic analysis.
Subsequently, detectives focused their investigation along Wabera Street, the last confirmed location of the MP before the fatal shooting.
Police have obtained CCTV footage from several businesses in this area, which captured the suspect monitoring the vehicle parked near the M-Pesa shop.
In their pursuit of the perpetrator, detectives have questioned three individuals: the MP’s driver, his bodyguard, and the M-Pesa attendant.
The investigation has also extended to Kasipul as authorities explore potential political motives behind the murder.
