MP Were murder suspect Philip Aroko wants to pray at his grave, court told

Philip Aroko, a suspect in the probe on the murder of Kasipul MP Ong’ondo Were intends to go and pray at the lawmaker’s grave once he is out of police custody.

The revelation was made in court by his lawyer, Danstan Omari, who told Justice Alexander Muteti that Aroko also intends to interact with the people of Kasipul.

“In Africa, funerals don’t end in one day. The applicant (Aroko) is a public figure and intends to go and attend the funeral of the late MP, although he has been buried,” Omari said.

Ong'ondo Were was buried on Friday last week at his Kachien home in Kaispul constituency, Homa Bay county.

Omari said Aroko wants to become the MP for Kasipul and would therefore want to tour the area to interact with residents once the DCI detectives complete their investigations

. “He intends to interact with the people of Kasipul. He wants to become an MP so he can make laws that strengthen the Directorate of Criminal Investigations,” Omari said.

Aroko was arrested on Wednesday night after he presented himself at the Gigiri Police station following an announcement by the DCI that he was wanted for interrogation.

On Friday, Aroko, through lawyers Danstan Omari, Cliff Ombeta, Samson Nyaberi and Shadrack Wambui moved to the High Court seeking orders to be produced in a court of law.

His legal team claimed he had been held incommunicado, following the failure to have him arraigned on Thursday last week.

That Friday, Justice Muteti issued orders requiring police to produce Aroko before him on Monday to explain why he had not been arraigned.

The law requires that those arrested be arraigned within 24 hours of arrest.

Shortly after the High Court orders, Aroko was arraigned before JKIA principal magistrate Irene Gicobi, where the state sought custodial orders for 30 days.

The magistrate, however, granted seven days after Aroko and his lawyers opposed the DPP's application.

Before Justice Muteti on Monday, Omari told the court that they wished to withdraw the application before the High Court, saying the prayers sought were spent.

“This application was based on the inordinate delay to arraign the applicant, which is now spent, and we therefore wish to withdraw the application because there is nothing left before you for determination,” Omari said.

Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Gikui Gichuhi told the court they were not opposed to the bid to withdraw the application.

Justice Muteti allowed the withdrawal of the application and directed that Aroko remain in custody until the end of seven days as was ordered by the lower court.