DP Ruto allies arrested during Kabuchai by-election released

The four legislators at the Bungoma Law courts before being charged. [Courtesy]

Four Tangatanga-allied legislators were on Friday charged in a Bungoma court with possessing weapons and refusing to have their fingerprints taken after their arrest on Thursday.

Didimus Barasa (Kimilili), Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, Chesumei MP Wilson Kogo and their Belgut counterpart Nelson Koech were, however, denied the charges and were released on Sh50,000 bond each.

The MPs on Friday morning said they were being driven from one cell to another like goats with no charges being preferred against them.

Speaking to KTN News on Friday while in court, the MPs termed their arrest unlawful and accused the government of using independent agencies to intimidate leaders associated with Deputy President William Ruto.

“It is a sad state of affairs that police and the Judiciary are being used to intimidate leaders of some political persuasions,” said Koech.

Barasa denied claims they had weapons at the time of the arrest, saying they were party agents who were just going around checking how the voting was going on.

“We didn’t intimidate or threaten anyone. We were supervising election as agents when we were arrested,” said Barasa.

The four were on Thursday arrested for planning to cause violence during the Kabuchai by-election.

The charge sheet read they were in possession of crude weapons in their vehicle during the arrest and had also refused to have their fingerprints taken.

There was violence at Busakala Primary School when a group of youths roughed Fred Kapondi (Mt Elgon MP), nominated Senator Millicent Omanga and Lungalunga’s Khatib Mwashetani over vote bribery claims.

Outcome

Joseph Majimbo Kalasinga was declared the MP-elect of Kabuchai Constituency after trouncing seven other candidates in a hotly contested mini poll.

Kalasinga garnered 19, 274 votes which represent 65 per cent of the total votes cast.

His closet challenger Evans Kakai of UDA got 6,455 votes representing 22 per cent.