Murder: Aroko remanded for 7 days MP Were's killing

Businessman Phillip Nahashon Aroko will remain in custody for seven days after Jomo Kenyatta International Law Courts allowed investigators an application to complete investigations.

Aroko who is a person of interest in the murder of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were presented himself at Gigiri police on Wednesday night but he was later booked at Kasarani police station.

On Friday, detectives presented Aroko before the JKIA courts Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi for a miscellaneous application where he opted to represent himself catching his legal team off-guard.

The detectives were seeking to hold him in custody for 30 days citing that he will interfere with the probe and that the MP’s murder was of public interest among other prayers.

In a sworn affidavit, Directorate of Criminal Investigations told the court that Aroko had been adversely mentioned behind planning of the MP who was shot around City Mortuary on May 2, 2025.

The investigators stated that Aroko is believed to be the organiser and the financier of the deceased murder noting that there is need to have officials from the financial intelligence bureau to guide in pursuing financial angle to the commission of the offence. 

“It has been established that the respondent has shown interest in Kasipul Constituency parliamentary seat where the deceased was the Mp before he was murdered and had threatened the deceased before the fatal incident,” they stated.

The court was told the threats were under active investigations, where the deceased had named the respondent as a suspect before the unfortunate event.

At the same time, the investigators told the court that some of the suspects who are in custody in relation to the case have given detailed accounts of events that transpired before and after the deceased murder.

The document adds that Aroko has been adversely mentioned to be behind planning, organizing and financing the killing.

“The analysis of the call data records of the respondent and some of the suspects in the lawfully custody have shown the links of well-coordinated plot of planning and elimination of the deceased person who was his bitter competitor in the Kasipul parliamentary seat,” the affidavit reads 

Adding that, "Considering how this crime was planned and executed it is explicit that it was a well-orchestrated crime and due to the seriousness of the offence and complexity of these investigations, we require more time to unravel this crime."

The officers stated that Aroko was in constant communication before and after the commission of the crime with some of the suspects already in custody citing that he was actively and directly involved.

On his part Aroko told the court that his act of presenting himself to police was a sign that he was willing to cooperate to help in investigations adding that he was not a flight risk.

At the same time, his wish to be remanded at Kileleshwa police station on medical grounds was granted.

Meanwhile Ong'ondo`s bodyguard Allan Ogola Omondi and driver Walter Owino Awino and Dennis Sewe Manyasi will be remanded for 20 days to allow detectives to complete investigations.

In an application, the detectives argue that they need 30 days to continue holding the suspects so as to continue with the investigations, including recording statements from witnesses.

“There is a need to subject all the phones that were recovered from the respondents for forensic analysis and obtain call data records to assist investigators,” the application reads in part.

The other suspects Ebel Ochieng and Edwin Oduor Odhiabo requested Honourable Gichobi to recuse herself citing that she was biased.

For this reason, the two will remain in custody until May 13, 2025 when the court will give a direction on their request.