This archive report was first published on 17 October 2019.
On October 17, 2019, a Mombasa court made a significant ruling in the case of Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa, who was arrested alongside four others in connection with the Ganda Ward by-election chaos.
Senior Resident Magistrate Vincent Okello dismissed the Director of Public Prosecutions' (DPP) request to detain the MP and her bodyguard, Geoffrey Okuto, for 21 days.
The magistrate emphasized that police should only arrest suspects after obtaining sufficient evidence to press charges, rather than apprehending them and then asking for more time to continue holding the accused persons.
Ms. Jumwa and her bodyguard were being investigated over the fatal shooting of Ngumbao Jola, an uncle to the ODM candidate in the Ganda Ward poll, Mr. Reuben Mwambize Katana.
According to the DPP, detectives had gathered credible intelligence reports that the ground within Malindi Constituency was tense and volatile, with some locals seeking to avenge Jola's death.
However, the court's decision to free Ms. Jumwa on Sh500,000 cash bail or Sh1 million bond has been seen as a significant development in the case.
