Aisha Jumwa, co-accused to formally take murder plea today

Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and her co-accused Geoffrey Otieno are set to formally take murder plea in Mombasa on Thursday.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions last week okayed a murder charge against Jumwa over the killing of a man during last year's Ganda Ward by-election.

The ODPP through its Mombasa Regional Head Alloys Kemo, approved murder and assault charges against Jumwa and Otieno over the fatal shooting of the man and injury of several people during the poll.

The man was shot in the shoulder and killed during the chaos and several other people, including police officers, were injured.

The two intend to ask for bail after taking plea.

The two were remanded for three days as they waited to undergo a mental assessment.

Jumwa and Otieno were to answer to murder charges but did not as they had not undergone a mental evaluation.

Judge Njoki Mwangi directed the MP and her aide be remanded at Port police station and be taken to Coast General Hospital on Wednesday for the test. 

Gumbao Jola, 48, died upon arrival at Malindi General Hospital. He was Katana’s uncle.

Chaos erupted soon after the MP arrived at the meeting in a convoy of three vehicles forcing police officers to shoot in the air several times.

Jumwa had accused Katana of campaigning long after the campaign window period had been closed.

Katana was at the time hosting more than 500 people at his home.