By Edward Lyomu | Mulembe Times
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has told the High Court that it is ready to present what it described as a detailed and compelling account of betrayal, greed and conspiracy behind the brutal killing of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were.
In a strongly worded opening statement delivered before the Kibera High Court, Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Gikui Gichuhi said the prosecution will place before the court a carefully reconstructed narrative showing how five accused persons allegedly planned and executed the murder of the legislator.
The case is being heard before Lady Justice Diana Kavedza.
According to the prosecution, the killing of the MP was not a spontaneous act but a well-coordinated operation involving individuals who played distinct roles in the planning, financing and execution of the crime.
“The prosecution will present credible and cogent evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the five accused persons before you jointly planned and orchestrated this heinous act,” Gichuhi told the court.
He added that investigators had pieced together testimonial, documentary and forensic evidence which, the DPP maintains, links the accused persons directly to the murder.
The court heard that the killing was allegedly engineered through a network of close associates and intermediaries, including a person who was trusted by the deceased and whose primary responsibility was to protect him.
In a particularly disturbing revelation, the prosecution told the court that a bodyguard entrusted with safeguarding the MP allegedly turned against him, secretly collaborating with individuals who wanted the legislator dead.
The prosecution claimed the bodyguard succumbed to “cold, calculated greed” and worked with hired accomplices to execute the plan.
Gichuhi described the murder as a betrayal carried out by a “friend-turned-foe,” saying the crime was driven by personal interests and concealed motives.
To assist the court in navigating what it described as complex and interlinked evidence, the prosecution said it had clearly categorised the role played by each of the accused persons in the alleged conspiracy.
According to the prosecution, the third accused person was the key figure behind the plot.
“The third accused person is the man who pulled the strings. The evidence will show that he wanted the deceased eliminated to bury his secrets and, rather than pulling the trigger himself, provided orders and funding to satisfy his evil desire,” Gichuhi said.
The prosecution further told the court that the first accused person allegedly acted as the overall mastermind who meticulously planned the events of the day the MP was killed.
The second accused person, the court was informed, is alleged to have facilitated access to the murder weapon and went to great lengths to help conceal the crime after it was committed.
The fourth accused person is accused of being the individual who physically carried out the killing by pulling the trigger, allegedly motivated by financial gain.
Meanwhile, the fifth accused person is said to have abused a position of trust and deliberately delivered the MP into the hands of those who intended to kill him.
In a solemn address to the court, the prosecution urged the judge to consider the gravity of the crime and the impact of the loss on the family and the wider community.
“My Lady, before this court today, we speak for a life that was brutally and unlawfully taken away. The deceased was not just a victim; he was an honourable Member of Parliament, a leader entrusted with the voice and hopes of his people, a father whose children looked up to him for guidance and protection, and a husband whose family depended on him for love, care and stability,” the prosecution stated.
The DPP has charged five suspects with the murder of the legislator. They are William Imoli, also known as Imo, Edwin Odour Odhiambo, alias Machuani, Ebel Ochieng, alias Dave Calo, Isaac Kuria, and Allan Ogola.
According to the charge sheet, the five are alleged to have jointly murdered Charles Ong’ondo Were on the night of April 30, 2025, at around 7.40 p.m.
The prosecution team appearing on behalf of the DPP is led by Vincent Monda, alongside Gikui Gichuhi, Peris Maina and Christine Timoi.
The court is expected to hear further details of the alleged plot as the prosecution begins presenting its evidence, with the state indicating it will rely on a combination of witness testimonies, documentary material and forensic findings to prove its case.
The murder of the Kasipul legislator sent shockwaves across the country and renewed public debate on the safety of political leaders and the vulnerability of public officials even in the presence of security personnel.
The trial is expected to continue in the coming days as the court begins to hear witnesses in what prosecutors have described as a carefully orchestrated and deeply troubling case of betrayal and conspiracy.
