CS Jumwa's life was in peril, witness tells court

Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa. [Samson Wire, Standard]

Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa's life was in danger during a scuffle that led to the death of Ngumbao Jola on the eve of the 2019 Ganda ward by-election in Malindi, Kilifi County.

A police officer told the High Court in Mombasa that at least 10 bullets were shot at the home of ODM candidate Rueben Katana during the scuffle. Senior Sargent Julius Maina said the crowd that gathered at Katana's home charged towards then Malindi MP Jumwa, forcing the police to shoot in the air. He said the crowd had crude weapons.

Maina said it was unclear who shot Jola as the body was carried by a section of the crowd from a corner of one of the houses to an open field where they were standing. The officer, currently stationed at Salama Police Station in Makueni, was attached at Malindi Police Station when Jola was killed in 2019 at Ganda in Malindi on the eve of the by-election.

"We heard gunshots from the crowd, which also threw stones at Ms Jumwa and her entourage. Some had crude weapons and realised that her life was in danger, forcing us to shoot in the air and lobby teargas to try and calm the crowd," Maina told the High Court. Maina told Justice Anne Ong'injo that they had gone to inquire about the unlawful meeting of around 500 people at Katana's homestead.

The officer was testifying in a case where Jumwa's former bodyguard and driver, Geoffrey Okuto Otieno is accused of killing Jola. Okuto, who was physically present in court, was represented by lawyer Duncan Osoro.

Jola was killed ahead of Ganda by-elections when Jumwa and her supporters stormed Katana's homestead, claiming he was holding an unlawful meeting.

In December last year, the High Court allowed an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to have Jumwa become a State witness after her charges were withdrawn. Yesterday, Maina told the court Ms Jumwa arrived in a convoy of three vehicles at Katana's home and ordered the crowd to disperse, claiming it was illegal.

Ceska pistol

Maina said the crowd turned violent and started moving towards Jumwa. The officer said he fired one round of ammunition from his Ceska pistol. "But a total of either 10 or more bullets were fired that day," said Maina, adding that other ODM politicians were part of the crowd at Katana's home but could not identify them.

"I don't know who shot Jola since I saw his body after the crowd brought him where we were," said Maina, adding that they sought help from other politicians to ferry the deceased to the hospital. Malindi Deputy County Commander Solomon Kosgei told the court that he was hit and injured by a crude object thrown from the crowd charging towards Jumwa.

"I warned the crowd that we could hear the grievances from Aisha's team but I suddenly heard a gunshot," Kosgei told the court.