NAIROBI, KENYA — Police have announced the arrest of the motorbike rider who allegedly transported the assailant responsible for the death of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were.
The MP was fatally shot on April 30th during evening traffic near the City Mortuary roundabout on Ngong Road by a gunman whose accomplice was operating a motorbike.
The gunman reportedly dismounted from the motorbike at a traffic stop and opened fire at close range before fleeing the scene with the rider.
On Wednesday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) stated that a man identified as Amos Barasa Kasili was apprehended in the Kibera, Darajani area of Nairobi after forensic analysis placed him at the location of the crime.
“Barasa served as the rider of the motorcycle with registration number KMFZ 413W, a Bajaj Boxer, which the assailants used to trail the MP’s vehicle and later as a getaway bike after the attack,” the investigative agency stated in a report.
The DCI indicated that at the time of his arrest, Kasili, described as “a habitual criminal who masquerades as a boda boda operator,” was found in possession of the implicated motorcycle.
The agency further reported that the suspect confessed to his involvement in the crime, “revealing that he had been engaged by the main actors and received a payment of Ksh 50,000 as part of his compensation.”
According to the DCI, Kasili’s motorbike matches the description of the vehicle captured by CCTV footage near Parliament, which showed it following the late MP’s car.
Police have stated that Mr. Were’s killing was “targeted and premeditated” and have been actively pursuing suspects, including a police officer and some of Mr. Were’s close associates believed to have played a significant role in the murder.
Investigators suspect that Mr. Were’s assassination may have been orchestrated by a criminal network with access to substantial financial resources.
