Kenya Insights

Tag: Charles Were death investigation

  • Businessman Philip Aroko Rearrested in MP Were Murder Case After Court Cancels Bail

    Businessman Philip Aroko Rearrested in MP Were Murder Case After Court Cancels Bail

    Businessman Philip Aroko, a key suspect in the murder of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Were, was rearrested on Monday after a Kibera Court canceled his bail following an appeal by the prosecution.

    Aroko had briefly tasted freedom after being released last week on a Sh300,000 cash bail by a Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Magistrate Court.

    The court had imposed several conditions, including surrendering his passport and prohibiting travel to Homa Bay County, the late MP’s home region.

    The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has successfully appealed the release, arguing that Aroko had provided new information requiring further investigation.

    The court ordered him detained at Kileleshwa Police Station for seven days pending completion of investigations.

    “After interrogating some suspects in custody, more witnesses have been identified whose statements are yet to be recorded. This will require more time before investigations are concluded,” the prosecution submitted in court documents.

    Party before arrest

    Sources indicate that Aroko had reportedly been spotted at an uptown entertainment establishment shortly before his rearrest, where he allegedly hosted a lavish celebration with associates, including flamboyant businessman Jared Otieno, to mark his release. This gathering occurred despite court orders restricting him from contacting individuals associated with the case.

    Philip Aroko in a party alongside Jared Otieno.
    Philip Aroko in a party alongside Jared Otieno.

    Investigation continues

    Inspector Oliver Nabonwe stated in an affidavit that authorities need additional time to investigate new information provided by Aroko during interviews.

    Police also require time to analyze call data records, await cybercrime and forensic reports from the National Forensic Laboratory, and review a pending financial report from the Financial Reporting Centre.

    “So far, our investigations have revealed that the respondent, jointly with others in custody, is linked to the murder of the late Hon. Charles Ong’ondo Were and could be charged with the offence of murder once investigations are concluded,” read the court documents.

    MP Charles Were was shot and killed on April 30, 2025, along Valley Road in Nairobi.

    To date, 12 suspects, including the alleged gunman, have been arrested in connection with the case. Investigators have also recovered the murder weapon.

    The high-profile case continues to draw significant public interest as authorities work to uncover the circumstances and motives behind the legislator’s murder.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

  • Businessman Philip Aroko Freed on Sh300,000 Bail in Kasipul MP Murder Case

    Businessman Philip Aroko Freed on Sh300,000 Bail in Kasipul MP Murder Case

    The JKIA Magistrate Court has granted businessman and politician Philip Aroko a Ksh 300,000 cash bail in connection with the murder case of Kasipul MP Charles Were.

    Magistrate Irene Gichobi, presiding over the case, imposed strict bail conditions, barring Aroko from traveling to Homa Bay County and requiring him to report to the investigating officer twice weekly until investigations are complete.

    The court’s decision came after rejecting an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to extend Aroko’s custodial detention by an additional seven days.

    The DPP had argued that more time was needed to complete investigations into the high-profile case, which has drawn significant public attention due to its political implications.

    “The court finds insufficient grounds to continue holding the suspect in custody,” stated Magistrate Gichobi in her ruling. “However, the seriousness of the allegations necessitates strict bail conditions.”

    Aroko, a controversial businessman in gold trade and a budding politician, is accused of involvement in the murder of the Kasipul MP, a case that has heightened tensions in Homa Bay County.

    Aroko is a politician and was Ong’ondo Were’s fiercest rival during the 2022 general election.

    His lawyer, Danstan Omari had on Monday told the court that he wants to be released so he can go and pray at the grave of the late MP.

    However, magistrate Gicobi restricted Aroko from setting foot in the constituency, which is in Homa Bay county.

    Aroko is also barred from contacting the MP’s family members, other suspects, or any individuals linked to the case.

    The bail conditions, particularly the restriction on traveling to the region, aim to prevent potential interference with witnesses and evidence collection.

    The case will be heard on June 13 for a mention.

  • LBDA Board Member Ebel Ochieng Kalo Arrested in MP Were’s Assassination Case

    LBDA Board Member Ebel Ochieng Kalo Arrested in MP Were’s Assassination Case

    Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested Ebel Ochieng Kalo, a board member of the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA), as investigations into the assassination of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were intensify.

    Kalo, who was actively involved in United Democratic Alliance (UDA) campaigns during the last election in Homa Bay, was transported overnight to Nairobi where he is expected to appear before the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) law courts this morning.

    According to court documents, Calo was apprehended in Nakuru and transported to Nairobi following detailed mobile phone triangulation and witness statements connecting him to the crime.

    Investigators revealed that Calo, a neighbor of the late MP in Homa Bay, was in regular communication with other suspects before, during, and after the fatal shooting on April 30, 2025, near the City Mortuary roundabout along Ngong Road.

    “Mobile data analysis and financial transaction records presented in court establish a clear pattern of coordination between the suspects,” stated a senior detective who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation.

    Court documents further indicate that Calo had previously been in conflict with the legislator, with reports of threats allegedly made prior to the incident.

    Investigators reported finding large sums of cash during raids on suspects’ properties.

    Sources close to the investigation revealed that some of the accused have allegedly confessed to receiving payments in foreign currency for their role in the assassination.

    The investigation has also led to the unexpected arrest of MP Were’s own bodyguard and driver, who are now suspected of playing a facilitative role in the murder.

    The courtroom was tense as prosecutors presented evidence linking Kalo to William Imoli Shighali, alias Omar Shakur, who was captured on CCTV footage trailing MP Were along Nairobi’s Wabera Street shortly before the killing. Shighali, along with police officer Juma Ali Haikal, Douglas Muchiri Wambugu, and David Mihigo Kagame, will remain in custody for 30 days as investigations continue.

    Defense attorney Edwin Oduor Odhiambo, representing Kalo, requested his client be detained separately from other suspects, citing security concerns.

    The court granted this request, with Magistrate Walter Owino ordering Kalo be held at Kasipul Police Station while the other suspects remain distributed between Ruaraka, Muthaiga, Capitol Hill, and Kilimani stations.

    “My client categorically denies any involvement in this heinous crime and is confident the evidence will exonerate him,” Odhiambo told journalists after the proceedings.

    The defense team, including Attorney Allan Ogolla, argued that their client had been made a political scapegoat in the escalating tensions between rival political factions.

    Political observers note that the case highlights the intensifying rivalry between former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the 2027 general election.

    Were was described by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi as “a firm soldier of the Orange Democratic Movement.”

    The prosecution, led by Dennis Manyasi, presented what they described as “compelling electronic evidence” linking Kalo to both the financial and logistical aspects of the assassination.

    “The money trail, communication records, and geographic positioning data form an unbreakable chain of evidence,” Manyasi argued before the court.

    DCI investigators also informed the court about the recovery of two firearms believed to be connected to the murder.

    Ballistic analysis revealed one weapon had been used in at least three previous crimes in Komarock, Kayole, and Ndumberi.

    National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has directed a thorough review of parliamentary security measures, including vetting all security personnel assigned to MPs.

    “We want to know what kind of men and women are guarding us. We will do thorough vetting,” Wetang’ula stated during Were’s requiem mass at Consolata Shrine in Nairobi.

    The late MP’s body will be airlifted to Homa Bay County today ahead of his burial tomorrow in Kachien Village, Kasipul Constituency.

    Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has urged residents to maintain peace and unity during the funeral proceedings.

    This case continues to develop as investigators pursue additional suspects, including individuals who reportedly facilitated the assassins’ escape and others who communicated with the core suspects around the time of the murder.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Mystery Caller Used Dead Woman’s Identity Days Before MP Were’s Assassination

    EXCLUSIVE: Mystery Caller Used Dead Woman’s Identity Days Before MP Were’s Assassination

    A suspicious phone call made just hours before the assassination of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were has become a central focus in the investigation, with detectives uncovering that the caller’s number was registered using the identity of a deceased woman from Nyanza region.

    According to sources close to the investigation, the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) has zeroed in on a mysterious caller who contacted Were’s bodyguard on April 30 at approximately 2:40 PM—just five hours before the legislator was gunned down on Nairobi’s Ngong Road.

    The call, which lasted one minute and ten seconds, was made to the MP’s aide who was at Parliament Buildings at the time.

    This was not the first contact between the parties; investigators have confirmed that the same number had called the bodyguard two days earlier.

    “We want to know who this caller was and what he wanted,” said an investigator familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing probe.

    In a troubling twist, forensic analysis has revealed that the phone number was registered just three days before the assassination using identification details of a woman from Nyanza who had been deceased for some time.

    The number was apparently created for the sole purpose of communicating with Were’s bodyguard, as no other calls were made from it.

    Both the bodyguard and the MP’s driver have since been arrested as part of the widening investigation.

    Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, while addressing journalists in Meru on Wednesday, acknowledged that individuals close to the MP were being questioned in connection with the murder.

    “It involved people who should have ordinarily taken care of the interests of the Member of Parliament,” Murkomen stated.

    “The government is committed to making sure that the perpetrators, some of whom have been arrested and others who will be arrested soon, are brought to book.”

    The investigation has gathered momentum in recent days. On Tuesday night, DCI officers raided an apartment in Nairobi’s Chokaa area, recovering two pistols and nine bullets, as well as shoes matching those worn by a suspect captured on CCTV near where the MP was last seen alive.

    DCI Director Mohammed Amin confirmed that the recovered weapons have been forwarded to ballistic experts to determine if they were used in the assassination.

    Bullets recovered during Were’s post-mortem examination will be compared with the seized firearms.

    Were was shot at close range by an assailant on a motorcycle at a traffic light on Ngong Road at approximately 7:30 PM on April 30, shortly after leaving Parliament.

    Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has characterized the crime as “both targeted and predetermined.”

    The assassination came after Were had publicly expressed fears for his life.

    In a video that has circulated widely since his death, the MP had stated: “When you hear I have been killed, Kasipul will not be the same again. But I know they won’t kill me because I have the Bible in my phone and another one under my pillow.”

    The killing has sent shockwaves through Kenya’s political establishment and raised questions about the safety of elected officials. It also follows a pattern of violence in Kasipul constituency, which has seen escalating tensions since 2019.

    Just four days before Were’s assassination, West Kasipul MCA Vickins Bondo was brutally attacked by unknown armed men in Nairobi’s Lucky Summer area, sustaining head injuries.

    Bondo is the son of Chief Inspector Nicholas Aguk Oballa, a police officer who died in February under mysterious circumstances in what was reported as a hit-and-run incident.

    Investigations into both cases continue as authorities work to unravel what appears to be a complex web of violence targeting political figures from the Kasipul region.

  • Aroko Accuses Wanga of Orchestrating His Arrest

    Aroko Accuses Wanga of Orchestrating His Arrest

    Controversial businessman Philip Aroko has accused Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga of orchestrating his summoning by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over the murder of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were.

    Speaking shortly after presenting himself to DCI officers in Nairobi on Wednesday night, Aroko denied any involvement in the assassination and maintained his innocence, saying he was ready to cooperate with investigators.

    However, he used the moment to launch a political broadside against the county leadership, blaming Governor Wanga for what he termed a politically motivated smear campaign.

    “The situation we are in is very unfortunate, and because it’s under investigation, I won’t comment much. The police have summoned me, and I am here. If anyone has questions, I am ready to answer,” Aroko said.

    “But I want to tell the people of Homa Bay that the politics in that county has turned into madness — it’s no longer politics, it’s thuggery. I saw the governor pushing so hard for me to be summoned. She even made calls to the police. Well, she’s achieved it now.”

    Aroko went on to allege that individuals involved in political violence within the county are employed by the county government.

    “We are changing the politics in Kasipul from thuggery to civilized engagement. Those who fight, maim, and kill people are employees of the Homa Bay County government — they are on her payroll,” he claimed, without providing evidence.

    Governor Wanga has not publicly responded to the allegations.

    Aroko’s remarks come just hours after the DCI named him a person of interest in the ongoing investigation into the killing of MP Were.

    The agency directed him to surrender to the nearest police station, emphasizing that the order was non-negotiable.

    “The DCI urges Philip Nahashon Aroko to present himself to the nearest police station without delay. This is not optional. His cooperation is vital to the progress of this investigation,” read a statement issued Wednesday evening.

    Aroko, a native of Homa Bay County and a potential candidate for the Kasipul parliamentary seat in the 2027 elections, has denied going into hiding.

    His lawyer, Danstan Omari, insisted that Aroko had been available and was willing to cooperate fully with law enforcement.

    Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has since revealed that preliminary findings in the probe have implicated individuals close to the slain MP.

    “It will shock you to learn that this heinous crime was executed in a cavalier manner by individuals who should have been protecting the Member of Parliament,” Murkomen said during a Jukwaa la Usalama forum in Meru.

    MP Were was gunned down near the City Mortuary roundabout in Nairobi in what authorities suspect was a targeted killing.

    As investigations intensify, police have so far arrested 10 suspects in connection with the murder.

  • WANTED: Murder Suspect & Fake Gold Scammer – DCI Hunts Kasipul Politician Philip Aroko

    WANTED: Murder Suspect & Fake Gold Scammer – DCI Hunts Kasipul Politician Philip Aroko

    The DCI has issued a wanted notice for Philip Nahashon Aroko, demanding he surrender immediately to the nearest police station.

    “He is a person of interest in the ongoing investigation into the brutal murder of Hon. Charles Ong’ondo Were,” police said.

    Aroko, a Kasipul Constituency parliamentary seat contestant, has also been linked to fake gold scams in the past.

    This comes after the driver and bodyguard of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were were arrested Tuesday night in the ongoing probe into his murder.

    The two were detained by detectives handling the matter after they gave inconsistent statements on what they knew or did not know about the murder.

    His driver and the bodyguard, who was seated in the backseat, escaped unhurt during the attack.

    The bodyguard jumped out of the car as the gunman hopped onto a getaway motorcycle.

    Witnesses said he chased the motorcycle for a short distance before racing back to the car to join the driver and rush the bleeding MP to the nearby Nairobi Hospital.

    Detectives handling the matter have been moving around with the two to reconstruct scenes where the MP was before he was trailed and shot dead.

    This came as police on Tuesday raided houses in Kayole’s Chokaa area and recovered a pistol that was used in the murder.

    The team also found a second pistol that is now under tests to confirm if it had been used in any crimes.

    Ballistic tests show the weapon that killed Were had been used to commit crimes in three incidents in Kayole, Komarock and Ndumberi in Kiambu County.

    This followed an analysis of spent bullets that were recovered from the scene of the shooting and the deceased’s body.

    The police also recovered shoes and a bag that the killer had on the day the MP was killed.

    The man was captured on camera wearing police shoes. He also carried the bag that is believed to have contained the gun used in the murder.

    Four suspects are in custody over the murder.

    One of the suspects arrested had Sh615,000 in his house in Nairobi believed to have been paid for the mission.

    Detectives are trying to establish the source of the money and the motive.

    Police in the operation also found several police uniforms and multiple mobile phones, which are currently being examined for evidence.

    The suspects William Imoli Shighali alias Omar Shakur, Juma Ali Haikal, Douglas Muchiri Wambugu, and David Mihigo Kagame will remain in custody for 30 calendar days pending investigations.

    Shighali, who reportedly has links to the extremist Mujahidin gang, was arrested at Zeitun Lounge in Roysambu alongside Wambugu and Kagame.

    The trio subsequently led detectives to the home of police officer Juma Ali Hikal in Pangani area, where a vehicle believed to have been used in the assassination was recovered.

    Court documents indicate that the suspects were in communication before and after the assassination. CCTV footage, which investigators described as pivotal, showed Shighali trailing MP Were along Nairobi’s Wabera Street.

    He was seen carrying a bag believed to have concealed the murder weapon and wearing police boots later found at Hikal’s residence.

    A search of Hikal’s home uncovered ammunition, teargas canisters, and other paraphernalia now under forensic analysis.

    At Shighali’s residence, detectives recovered several police uniforms, over USD 4,800 in cash, and multiple mobile phones currently being examined for evidence.

    “Thousands of minutes of CCTV footage have been reviewed in an attempt to reconstruct the final moments of the late MP,” said the prosecution during the court session.

    “Nine live rounds of ammunition and teargas canisters were also found at the second respondent’s home.”

    Investigators believe the killing may have been orchestrated by an organized criminal network with access to significant financial resources.

    The MP was shot dead on April 30 near City Mortuary by a lone gunman who escaped on a motorbike.

    Police said the suspect had trailed the MP’s vehicle all the way from Nairobi CBD after he concluded the day’s business in Parliament.

    Police said the murder was premeditated. An autopsy revealed that he was shot five times at close range and succumbed to the injuries.

    Calls for expedited thorough investigations into the murder of Kasipul MP Ong’ondo Were took center stage Wednesday during the requiem mass for the late MP in Nairobi.

    National Assembly Chief Whip Sylvanus Osoro led the calls saying while they appreciate the efforts made so far by the security officers in arresting suspects, there was need for police to also unravel the mystery behind the killing and identify the masterminds.

    “We ask you to bring the real culprits. We want to know who sent those young men to kill our colleague,” he said.

    “I don’t think that person just woke up in the morning and told himself ‘I’m going to do this particular crime’. He must have been sent by somebody. Who is that person? That is the question we are asking the DCI and security agencies.”

    Osoro spoke during the memorial service held at the Consolata Shrine in Westlands, Nairobi.

    He was, however, optimistic that in due course, the master planners of the murder would be unmasked.

    Fellow lawmakers said Were had expressed fear over his life and even changed his vehicle on the day he was murdered.

    Giving an account of the fateful day, Osoro explained that Were appeared disturbed.

    “He sat alone at the corner. Any person that would pass by would agree he was not the normal Were that we all knew,” he said.

    Were left behind two widows.

    He is set to be laid to rest on Friday at his rural home in Homa Bay County.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

  • Breakthrough in MP Ong’ondo Murder Case: Detectives Recover Murder Pistol, Key Evidence in Kayole Raid

    Breakthrough in MP Ong’ondo Murder Case: Detectives Recover Murder Pistol, Key Evidence in Kayole Raid

    Detectives have recovered two pistols, including one believed to have been used in the murder of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were.

    The murder pistol will undergo ballistic analysis to determine its ownership and usage.

    The weapons were found in a house in the Chokaa area of Kayole on Tuesday night after a daylong search, police said.

    Detectives also recovered a bag and shoes worn by a prime suspect on the day of the murder.

    Police termed the recoveries a breakthrough in the ongoing investigation.

    “This is a breakthrough because the recoveries are key in the case,” said an officer involved in the probe.

    Earlier ballistic tests on recovered bullets revealed that the murder weapon had been used in at least three other crimes in Komarock and Kayole in Nairobi, and Ndumberi, Kiambu County.

    This conclusion followed an analysis of spent bullets recovered from the crime scene and the MP’s body.

    Were, who was serving his second term in Parliament, was shot and killed on April 30 along Valley Road near the City Mortuary.

    His driver and bodyguard, who was seated in the back seat, escaped unhurt.

    The bodyguard jumped out of the car as the gunman fled on a getaway motorcycle. Witnesses said he gave a brief chase before returning to the car and rushing the bleeding MP to nearby Nairobi Hospital.

    Detectives have since been retracing the MP’s movements and reconstructing scenes with the help of the bodyguard and driver.

    Four suspects are in custody over the killing.

    One of the suspects was found with Sh615,000 in his Nairobi home, believed to have been payment for the mission. Detectives are working to establish the source of the money and the motive.

    Police also recovered several police uniforms and multiple mobile phones, which are under forensic examination.

    The suspects William Imoli Shighali alias Omar Shakur, Juma Ali Haikal, Douglas Muchiri Wambugu, and David Mihigo Kagame will remain in custody for 30 calendar days pending investigations.

    Four suspects arrested in connection with the murder of Kasipul MP Charles Ong'ondo Kasipul MP Ong’ondo Were arraigned at JKIA Law Courts
    The Four suspects arrested in connection with the murder of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Kasipul MP Ong’ondo Were when they were arraigned at JKIA Law Courts.

    Shighali, was arrested in the lounge in Roysambu alongside Wambugu and Kagame.

    Police say suspects later led detectives to the Pangani home of police officer Juma Ali Hikal, where a vehicle alleged to have been used in the murder was found.

    Court documents show the suspects communicated before and after the assassination.

    CCTV footage described by investigators as pivotal showed the suspect, believed to be Shighali, trailing MP Were along Wabera Street in Nairobi.

    He was allegedly seen carrying a bag believed to have concealed the murder weapon and wearing police boots later found at Hikal’s residence.

    A search at Hikal’s home, according to police, uncovered ammunition, teargas canisters, and other paraphernalia currently under analysis.

    At Shighali’s residence, officers allegedly found police uniforms, over USD 4,800 in cash, and multiple mobile phones also being examined.

    “Thousands of minutes of CCTV footage have been reviewed to reconstruct the final moments of the late MP,” the prosecution told the court.

    “Nine live rounds of ammunition and teargas canisters were also found at the second respondent’s home.”

    Detectives recover pistol believed was used in the murder of slain MP Charles Ong'ondo Were. Also recovered is a bag and shoes worn by a prime suspect on the day of the murder.
    Detectives recover pistol believed was used in the murder of slain MP Charles Ong’ondo Were. Also recovered is a bag and shoes worn by a prime suspect on the day of the murder.

    Investigators believe the murder may have been carried out by an organized criminal network with significant financial backing.

    Police are pursuing more suspects, including another officer suspected of playing a central role in orchestrating the assassination.

    The officer is alleged to have used a newly registered mobile number, now deactivated and registered under a false identity, to coordinate the operation.

    A JKIA Chief Magistrate’s Court has granted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) permission to detain the four suspects for 30 days pending further investigations.