Drama as MP Babu Owino is re-arrested within court moments after his release

Embakasi East MP Paul Ongili better known as Babu Owino at Milimani law court on 27 September 2017. [photo:Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino was re-arrested moments after his release by a Nairobi magistrate court.

Police said Mr Owino was to be charged with assault, an offence he allegedly committed when he was vying for the Students Organisation of Nairobi University (Sonu) chairman’s seat last year.

The MP had just been released on a Sh500,000 bail and two sureties of Sh1 million each.

The MP is facing charges of subversion and offensive conduct as well as an alternative charge of incitement to violence.

The case will be mentioned on Wednesday October 4, 2017.

Owino’s lawyer, Siaya Senator James Orengo, was addressing the youthful MP's supporters outside the court when undercover police officers who were waiting, snatched the legislator from the court’s basement.

Police had to fire tear-gas canisters at the crowd after it turned rowdy on learning that Owino had been rearrested and driven away.

"I have been re-arrested by flying squad officers who are holding me at Pangani Police Station," wrote Owino on Twitter.

Meanwhile, the embattled MP risks losing his parliamentary seat after a petitioner against his election filed an application seeking to strike out his response to the petition.

Mr Francis Wambugu Mureithi (Jubilee Party), who filed election petition against Mr Owino, says the response to petition had been filed out of time and therefore should be struck out.