Ong'ondo Were's Murder Case: Dramatic Scenes in Court as Key Suspect Threatens to Kill Prosecutor

• Ebel Ochieng Calo, a board member of the Lake Basin Development Authority and one of the key suspects in the murder of MP Charles Ong'ondo Were, appeared in court on Wednesday
• The court hearing took a dramatic turn when the prosecution alleged that Calo had threatened one of their officers
• This revelation left the courtroom surprised, causing Justice Diana Mochache to order heightened security in court
• Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, lawyer Danstan Omari condemned threats against a prosecutor, calling them dangerous and disruptive to court proceedings

Faith Chandianya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and Current Affairs in Kenya

Nairobi: A dramatic and chaotic scene erupted in court during the hearing of the murder case of the late Kasipul MP Charles Ong'ondo Were, leaving onlookers stunned and the courtroom on edge.

Who are suspects in Ong'ondo Were's murder?

The murder case took an unexpected turn on Wednesday, June 4, when Ebel Ochieng Calo allegedly threatened to kill state prosecutor Allen Mulama.

Calo, who also holds a position as a board member with the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA), appeared before Justice Diana Mochache at the Kibera High Court for the hearing.

The prosecution team claimed that Calo's threat targeted Mulama, an officer with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

The chilling remark reportedly led to Mulama leaving the courtroom for his safety, adding a dramatic development to the already tense legal proceedings.

"Court heard from a court orderly that when the court had taken a break for the judge to give directions, one of the suspects, Ebel Ochieng alias Dave Calo, reached out to the court orderly officer and inquired who the prosecutor was and threatened to kill him for opposing them being granted bail," the ODPP statement read.

The prosecution expressed concern, stating that the matter was deeply troubling and that they planned to pursue it thoroughly with the police. They emphasised that urgent court intervention was required.

Following the prosecution team's statement, Justice Mochache ordered heightened security in the courtroom.

Mochache ruled, noting that the accused had threatened to kill the prosecutor. She pointed out that the mere utterance of the words "huyu tutamuua" raised concerns about the safety of the witnesses.

Based on these grounds, she stated that the three accused were denied bond/bail and ordered that the first accused be escorted to Mathari Hospital for assessment.

Were other suspects in Were's case taken to court?

Separately, two additional suspects appeared before the Milimani High Court to face murder charges under Section 204 of the Penal Code.

The prosecution team, led by Jacinta Nyamosi, Evelyne Onunga, Allen Mulama, and Millicent Kigira, requested that Lady Justice Muigai postpone the plea until a mental assessment of the suspects is conducted.

"The two suspects, Isaac Kuria, also known as Kush, and Allan Omondi Ogola, will remain at Kamiti Prison while awaiting a mental assessment. The case is set for further mention on June 18, 2025, for directions. The court also ordered that all suspects be taken to Mathari Hospital for evaluation," the ODPP statement read in part.

The suspects, along with others who didn't appear before the court, are accused of murdering MP Were on the night of April 30, 2025, at approximately 7:40 p.m.

The incident took place at the City Mortuary Roundabout on Ngong Road in Kilimani Sub-County, Nairobi county.

Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, Nairobi-based criminal lawyer Danstan Omari raised alarm over threats made against a state prosecutor during the ongoing murder trial of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were. He noted that such conduct in court not only disrupts proceedings but poses a grave risk to the safety and independence of judicial officers.

Omari, who has handled several high-profile criminal cases in Kenya, stressed that any form of intimidation targeting prosecutors or witnesses should be met with immediate legal consequences.

"Threatening a prosecutor within the court precincts is not only contemptuous but potentially criminal in itself," Omari explained. "It signals a disregard for judicial authority and could be interpreted as an attempt to intimidate the prosecution or obstruct justice."

Suspects in Ong'ondo Were's killing to be charged with murder

This comes hours after Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga approved murder charges against five individuals, including Allan Omondi Ogola, the late MP's bodyguard, in the killing of MP Were.

The suspects—William Imoli, also known as Imo, Edwin Oduor Odhiambo, referred to as Machuani, and Calo faced charges in Kibera High Court.

Were's driver, Walter Awino Owino, was acquitted of the murder charges and turned into a state witness.

Soon after the court allowed the prosecutor's request to withdraw the charges against Owino, an emotional video showing the late MP's driver praying with his family outside the JKIA Law Courts surfaced online.

Owino was with Allan Omondi Ogola, the MP's bodyguard, when the shooting happened.

He rushed the MP to Nairobi Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke