A Kisumu court on Friday remanded seven Homa Bay MCAs for 14 days on the charge of assaulting Speaker Elizabeth Ayoo.
The seven were ordered detained at Kodiaga prison in Kisumu after they appeared before Kisumu resident magistrate Rose Ndombi.
They are Dan Were, Julius Gaya, Paul Omboro, Walter Muok, Philomen Onditi, Peter Kaula, and Evans Marieba.
The lot pleaded not guilty to the charge of
assaulting the speaker on October 16.
Lawyers Agrey Mwamu, Ken Omollo and Sam Onyango sought bond for the accused persons.
The defence team said the lot, being MCAs, are not likely to jump bond or cash bail. Mwamu said they were prepared to take a hearing date.
But prosecutor Lazurus Sirtui objected the bond application saying the county legislators should be detained until investigations are complete.
He said there were compelling reasons to deny the suspects bail. The prosecutor said the investigating officer is yet to get crucial evidence from the assembly clerk.
Sirtui argued that the accused are likely to interfere with witnesses if they are released.
Mwamu questioned why the prosecution wanted to detain the suspects yet "they had a month to investigate the case."
In her ruling, Ndombi said the reason advanced by the prosecution that the accused would interfere with the investigation is valid.
Homa Bay has experienced chaos for some time in the wake of leadership wrangles pitting the county assembly members.
This culminated into the speaker's impeachment. Speaker Ayoo sought the court's redress and was reinstated.
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The arrest and subsequent detention of the MCAs sparked protests in Homa Bay as youths demanded the lawmakers' immediate release.
The lot, largely boda boda riders, marched through the town before proceeding to the county assembly to seek audience with the MCAs.
Youths protest at the gate of the Homa Bay county assembly following the detention of seven MCAs on Friday, November 16, 2018. /ROBERT OMOLLO