Four suspects, including an Administration Police officer, have been detained for 30 days in connection with the murder of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were. William Imoli Shighali, Juma Ali Haikal, Douglas Muchiri Wambugu, and David Mihigo Kagame were produced before the Chief Magistrate’s Court at JKIA, where the DCI successfully applied for their continued detention. The suspects will be held in separate police stations including Ruaraka, Muthaiga, Capitol Hill, and Kilimani.

Detectives are investigating the source of Sh615,000 found in Shighali’s Nairobi house, along with police uniforms and multiple mobile phones. Shighali is reportedly linked to the extremist Mujahidin gang. The vehicle believed to have been used in the assassination was recovered from Haikal’s residence in Pangani. Court documents indicate communication between the suspects before and after the assassination. CCTV footage shows Shighali trailing MP Were, carrying a bag believed to contain the murder weapon and wearing police boots later found at Haikal’s residence.

A search of Haikal’s home uncovered ammunition, teargas canisters, and other paraphernalia. At Shighali’s residence, detectives recovered several police uniforms, over USD 4,800 in cash, and multiple mobile phones. Investigators believe the killing was orchestrated by an organized criminal network with access to significant financial resources. Authorities are pursuing other suspects, including a boda boda rider alleged to have facilitated the assassins’ escape and individuals believed to have communicated with the core suspects.

The DCI has identified the vehicle used to transport the suspects and established financial proceeds used to facilitate the murder. Key exhibits include surveillance footage, the identified vehicle, financial proceeds, and connections to accompanying suspects. The NPS linked Were’s murder to an Eastlands-based gang, with some suspects being members of the Mjahidin gang, known for armed robberies in Nairobi’s Eastlands.

Autopsy results revealed that MP Were died from excessive bleeding after being shot five times. Bullets tore through his vital organs, including the heart, lungs, and liver. The pathologist detailed five gunshot wounds, including two entry wounds on the left forearm, two on the left side of the chest, and one lodged in the spine.

Court documents reveal that Juma Ali Haikal is a serving Administration Police officer. At his residence, a motor vehicle believed to have been used to drop the assailants outside Parliament and later trail the deceased’s car was impounded. Detectives recovered nine live rounds, eight tear gas canisters, and an Administration Police uniform from his house. Mobile phone data placed the suspects near the crime scene, confirming constant communication between them before, during, and after the fatal shooting.

The MP was fatally shot at about 7:40 pm on April 30 at the City Mortuary roundabout along Valley Road. The attacker fled the scene on a motorcycle. During the arrests, police recovered several mobile phones believed to contain crucial information. Live ammunition and a spent cartridge were recovered from the homes of Shighali and Haikal. Investigators are travelling to Homa Bay County to interview witnesses.