Nairobi, May 14, 2025
Charles Were murder case intensifies as LBDA Director Ebel Ochieng and a second suspect linked to the murder weapon have been detained for 23 days in the case of MP Were’s murder, after a JKIA court ruling dismissed jurisdictional and bias claims.
The ongoing investigation into the murder of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were took a significant turn on Monday after a Nairobi court ordered the extended detention of two key suspects, including a senior government official.
Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) Director Ebel Ochieng and co-accused Edwin Oduor will now remain in custody for 23 more days as detectives work to complete investigations into the fatal incident that has sent shockwaves through Kenya’s political landscape.
The two suspects appeared before the JKIA Law Courts after being arrested last week in separate locations. They were arraigned alongside three other suspects in connection with the legislator’s killing.
Ochieng, who is alleged to have coordinated meetings related to the murder plot, and Oduor, believed to be connected to the murder weapon, had filed preliminary applications seeking to derail court proceedings. Among their arguments were claims of judicial bias by Chief Magistrate Irene Gichobi, whose conduct they challenged in a formal request for recusal.
Additionally, the duo had earlier questioned the court’s jurisdiction, asking for the case to be transferred to the Kibera Law Courts or another court they claimed had territorial authority over the matter.
However, Chief Magistrate Gichobi firmly dismissed both applications. “The application by the first and second respondents that I recuse myself lacks merit and is hereby dismissed,” she ruled, allowing the prosecution to proceed with its request for extended detention.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) had asked the court to allow a 30-day custodial period, arguing that the two men were central to the planning and execution of the MP’s murder and posed a risk to ongoing investigations if released.
Magistrate Gichobi granted a 23-day custodial period instead, signaling judicial caution but acknowledging the gravity of the matter.
This case has gripped national attention not only because of the high-profile nature of the victim — MP Charles Were was known for his vocal leadership in Homa Bay County — but also due to the high-ranking positions of some of the suspects.
Sources close to the investigation say Ochieng used his position within the LBDA to hold covert meetings allegedly linked to the planning of the murder. Meanwhile, forensic links are said to connect Oduor to the weapon believed to have been used in the assassination.
As the suspects remain behind bars, the legal battle has shifted to other courts as well. Ochieng has since filed a case at the High Court challenging the May 9 ruling that dismissed his jurisdictional objection. He is seeking to overturn the decision and have the matter transferred to the Kibera Law Courts.
That application is scheduled for mention on Wednesday at the Makadara Law Courts.
In a statement through his lawyer, Ochieng described his arraignment at the JKIA Law Courts as “a clear case of forum shopping by the prosecution,” a tactic he claims is aimed at denying him a fair trial.
Meanwhile, investigators continue to piece together what led to the murder of MP Charles Were, a respected legislator known for his advocacy on rural development, anti-corruption, and youth empowerment.
The political class is watching closely, with several leaders calling for transparency and justice in a case that threatens to expose deep rifts within political and business circles.
For now, Ochieng and Oduor remain in custody, their fate hanging in the balance as Kenya awaits the next chapter in what could become one of the country’s most consequential political murder trials in recent years.
