NAIROBI, KENYA — The investigation into the assassination of Kasipul Member of Parliament (MP) Charles Ong’ondo Were has achieved a significant milestone with the confirmed identification of the murder weapon.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja announced that a conclusive ballistics report has directly connected a pistol, recovered during the investigation, to the bullets that fatally wounded MP Were on April 30th.
IG Kanja detailed that the firearm was among two pistols – a Retay Falcon and a Sarsilmaz – discovered in the possession of two suspects, along with a bag and footwear matching descriptions of items worn by an individual at the crime scene.
“The ballistics report we received unequivocally links the Sarsilmaz pistol recovered from the residence of one of the suspects to the fatal shots that took his life,” he stated. The same weapon has also been linked through ballistics to three prior robbery incidents across Nairobi and Kiambu counties.
The Inspector General further reported that the autopsy conducted on May 2nd at the Lee Funeral Home by Chief Government Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor revealed that MP Were sustained five gunshot wounds, all entering his body from the left side.
During the autopsy, two bullets were recovered, and a third was found within the deceased’s vehicle. These were subsequently submitted for the aforementioned ballistic analysis.
A report from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) indicated the arrest of Edwin Oduor Odhiambo, alias Abdul Rashid, and Dennis Sewe Munyasi on Wednesday at an undisclosed location. Upon their apprehension, they led investigators to Odhiambo’s residence, where the firearms were discovered.
Meanwhile, four additional suspects with direct links to the crime scene, some believed to be associated with the ‘Mjahidini’ gang known for armed robberies in Nairobi’s Eastlands, remain in police custody. These individuals were arrested on May 4th and subsequently presented before the JKIA Court, where a 30-day custodial order was granted to facilitate ongoing inquiries. Their case is scheduled for mention on June 5th.
Furthermore, two more key suspects were apprehended on Wednesday, bringing the total number of individuals in custody to ten.
Also Read: Following MP’s murder, Speaker Wetangula mandates security overhaul for Kenyan MPs
Homa Bay politician and businessman Philip Nahashon Aroko was summoned by the DCI on Wednesday evening. Addressing the press, he denied any involvement in the MP’s killing.
His lawyer, Danstan Omari, later confirmed that Aroko presented himself to the Gigiri Police Station from the DCI headquarters, where he was booked and will remain overnight for interrogation on Thursday.
Detectives have been meticulously reconstructing MP Were’s movements from Parliament to the location of the shooting, yielding crucial leads that have aided in the identification of potential suspects.
MP Were’s driver and aide have also been taken into custody to assist with the continuing investigation.
