A high-profile murder case involving a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) official shocked many Kenyans after a dramatic court session on Wednesday.
The suspect, Ebel Ochieng Kalo, who is a board member at the Lake Basin Development Authority and a well-known UDA figure, is at the center of the investigation into the killing of Kasipul MP Charles Were.
While appearing before Justice Diana Kavedza at the Milimani Law Courts, Kalo allegedly threatened to kill Allen Mulama, a prosecutor from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
This threat was made openly in court after the prosecutor opposed Kalo’s request for bail.
The frightening moment forced the state counsel to leave the courtroom, leaving the judge and everyone present in disbelief.The prosecution reported the matter immediately, stating that the accused directly threatened to kill the prosecutor.
According to them, Kalo said “huyu tutamuua,” a clear threat that raised concern about the safety of court officials and even witnesses in the case.
In response, Justice Kavedza ruled that the nature of the threat was serious enough to deny bond to all three accused persons.
She directed that Ebel Ochieng be taken to Mathari Hospital for a mental health assessment to determine his state of mind.
The judge also ordered the three accused to be remanded at Nairobi Remand Prison and emphasized that one of them should be kept in isolation until his mental state is assessed.
The case will return to court on June 17 for further instructions. Meanwhile, the prosecution insisted that the matter must be taken seriously and called for more police action and court protection to ensure that justice is not obstructed.
They made it clear that the safety of prosecutors and witnesses must be guaranteed, especially when such open threats are made during court sessions.
In a separate hearing, Justice Margaret Muigai directed that two other suspects, Isaack Kuria and Allan Omondi Ogolla, undergo mental evaluation before being officially charged with murder.
The virtual session also resulted in orders for both suspects to receive legal aid and be held at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.
The judge instructed that they be detained separately as investigations continued, and the possibility of plea agreements remained on the table.
MP Charles Were was killed on April 30, 2025, in what police describe as a targeted attack.
He was stuck in traffic at the City Mortuary roundabout along Ngong Road in Nairobi when a gunman got off a motorcycle and shot him at close range.
The gunman then escaped with the rider. The killing shocked the political world and raised questions about the people close to the MP.
Investigators believe that the MP’s own bodyguard, Allan Omondi, and his driver, Walter Owino, were involved in a criminal syndicate that may have planned the assassination.
