I saw MP's aide fire his gun, says witness in Aisha Jumwa murder trail

A witness in Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa’s murder case was hard-pressed to confirm if he saw her bodyguard shoot at the deceased.

Mr Kabwere Chengo yesterday said he saw Geoffrey Okuto, who is accused alongside the MP, draw his gun at Reuben Katana’s homestead.

Testifying before Mombasa High Court judge Anne Ong’injo, Mr Kabwere said he could not confirm if the accused, whom he referred to as Jeff, was aiming at the late Ngumbao Jola.

Ms Jumwa and Mr Okuto are charged with killing Ngumbao.

The witness told the court that prior to the arrival of Jumwa and her team at Katana’s homestead, there was tension “as the police were heavily armed with teargas, guns and headgear as if coming to disperse a crowd.”

He said people dispersed upon seeing the police officers.

“Aisha’s bodyguard, whom I know as Fondo, drew out his pistol and hit Harun, our ODM activist in Malindi, with a butt on his forehead. We tried helping him. Aisha’s driver, whom I have known as Jeff, upon seeing Sunday, who was from Orange House, drew out his gun and started chasing Sunday around Katana’s compound,” Kabwere said.

He said it seemed that the said Jeff and Sunday knew each other from Nairobi.  Mr Kabwere said he heard Sunday ask the said Jeff if they had come to Katana’s home for politics or to cause violence.

After being asked to confirm how he was able to witness everything despite the teargas and gunshots, the university student said he was moving along with the remaining crowd at the compound and at no point did he lie down.

He, however, said he did not see the bodyguard aiming at Ngumbao, but claimed he was sure the accused was aiming.

“Jeff’s right hand that was holding his pistol was pointing at a certain direction in which he shot twice, but after his third shot, I heard people behind claim that he has killed and upon looking behind, I saw Ngumbao lying down,” he said.

The witness said he heard the MP blame the police officers who had arrived before her for failing to do her work despite having paid them. 

Mr Kabwere said he believed the work the police had been sent to do was to disperse the more than 200 alleged agents who were at Katana’s home a day before Ganda Ward by-elections. Katana won the polls. 

The hearing resumes from September 26 to September 29.