Former Malindi Deputy County Commander Solomon Kosgei has told court that he was hit by an unknown object at an ODM meeting attended by now CS Aisha Jumwa which turned chaotic leading to the death of one resident.
Kosgei was testifying in the case where Geoffrey Okuto Otieno alleged former bodyguard to Jumwa has been accused of killing the late Ngumbao Jola.
Otieno was initially charged alongside Jumwa but the DPP has since dropped murder charges against her.
Kosgei told court that he was hit on the shoulder when riot started after the arrival of Jumwa then an MP at a meeting that was taking place in Malindi on the eve of the Ganda Ward by election in the year 2019.
Justice Anne Ong’injo further heard that Kosgei and his colleagues had gone to the scene to disperse the crowd that they had been informed that was holding an illegal meeting.
However, after Jumwa arrived, the crowd of over 500 people who were at the homestead of Reuben Katana, a then candidate for the Ganda Ward by election started throwing stones and crude weapons at her and the convoy that she was leading.
Kosgei told court that he was hit on his shoulder with an unknown object and started calming the crowd.
“When Aisha Jumwa arrived, the crowd became angry and started shouting that she should leave. We had to calm the crowd as I told them to listen to the grievances of the people that had arrived at the homestead led by Aisha Jumwa,” Kosgei said.
But, a few minutes later he said they heard a gunshot coming from the crowd.
The crowd started shouting that Aisha had killed Jola whose lifeless body was said to have been spotted at the corner of the house.
“Our boss, the then Coast Regional Coordinator Rashid Yakub later came and we briefed him on what had happened. We resolved to go to Aisha Jumwa’s home and we arrested both Aisha and her aide Geoffrey Okuto,” he said.
A second officer who was also at the scene told court that they had been forced to shoot in the air once they realized that Jumwa’s life was in danger.
Senior Sergeant Julius Maina said the ODM meeting that was taking place at Katana’s homestead was illegal.
They had been briefed that there was an unlawful meeting place and the information prompted them to go to the homestead to inquire about the meeting.
