Kimilili Member of Parliament, Didmus Barasa has been placed under strict measures after he was offered a Ksh 10 million bond and a surety of Ksh 5 million in a court hearing on August 24th Wednesday where he pleaded not guilty.
The MP-Elect of Kimilili is accused of having shot and killed Mr. Brian Olunga an aide of the MP’s closest opponent in the Kimilili parliamentary seat race Mr. Brian Khaemba of the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) on the election day 9th August.
Olunga died of a gunshot wound on the right side of his head, as revealed by a post-mortem report last week. However, Barasa on Wednesday denied the murder charge pressed against him to have occurred in Chebukwabi Village in Kimilili Constituency.
Hence the Kakamega High Court judge Patrick Otieno directed the lawmaker to surrender his firearms and passport, not to comment publicly on the case ongoing, and to stay away from Bungoma County following his influence that might mess with investigations.
“The accused has considerable influence in Bungoma County, where the crime allegedly happened,” said the judge.
Barasa’s lawyer Nathan Tororei even though said the withdrawal of Barasa’s guns would endanger his life, given he is a high-profile member of society.
Citing that his client was not a threat when it comes to flight risk since he had surrendered himself to the police earlier when a warrant was issued for his arrest concerning the murder case at hand.
This was opposed by state lawyers Peter Kiprop and Grace Mukangu who asked the court to grant Barasa “tough” bond terms to ensure he doesn’t interfere with the 23 witnesses yet to testify or skip court sessions.
Brian Olunga was buried at his Malava home in Kakamega County on Saturday, August 20. His mother, Lonah Odinga, asked the police, the prosecution, and the courts to expedite the case.
