This archive report was first published on 5 August 2020.
On August 5, 2020, the Busia High Court acquitted five people charged with the murder of six bouncers in Busia due to lack of evidence.
The five individuals, Bonface Onyango Aduol, Ronald Oduor Aduol, Caroline Atieno Ngesa, Christine Apondi, and Gilbert Odhiambo Onono, were arrested and arraigned in November 2019 after the brutal killing of six bouncers at Masebula Primary School playground.
The deceased, William Omondi Oriwa, David Okeyo Odhiambo, Philip Kwach Omware, Elvis Otieno Nickson Adera, and Evans Onyango, had traveled from Nyando constituency in Kisumu County to provide security at a funeral in Masebula village.
Justice Kiarie Waweru noted that the prosecution failed to convince the court that the accused were the masterminds behind the death of the six bouncers, citing the presence of a large crowd of mourners at the scene.
According to the ruling, one of the prosecutors stated that the six were killed by around forty people, but the court found that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused.
“The scene of the gruesome killing of the six people who are the subject of this case was at the football pitch of Masebula Primary School. We gather from the evidence there was a mammoth crowd of mourners. Witnesses testified that the football field was full to the brim,” read the judgment in part.
