New Details On Police Officer & 3 Suspects Linked To MP Charles Were Murder
Magistrate Irene Gichobi approved a request from the prosecution to detain the suspects for an additional 30 days to allow more time for investigations.
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
New revelations have surfaced in the investigation into the assassination of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were, as four main suspects were formally brought before the JKIA Magistrate’s Court on Monday, May 5.
Magistrate Irene Gichobi approved a request from the prosecution to detain the suspects for an additional 30 days to allow more time for investigations.
Prosecutor Allen Mulama stated that the extra time is essential for following up on major leads, including tracking down more suspects, one of whom is a police officer suspected of playing a central role in planning the murder.
Investigators disclosed that this officer allegedly used a newly registered, now-deactivated mobile number under a fake name to coordinate the attack.
Suspects linked to MP Charles Were's murder arraigned before the JKIA Magistrate’s Court on May 5, 2025. /NEWSMOTO
One of the suspects arraigned, William Imoli Shighali—also known as Omar Shakur—is accused of firing the fatal shot. He was arrested at Zeitun Lounge in Roysambu along with two others, Douglas Muchiri Wambugu and David Mihigo Kagame.
The suspects later led authorities to the home of Administration Police officer Juma Ali Hikal, where a vehicle believed to have been used in the killing was found.
Court filings reveal that the suspects were in contact before and after the shooting. Key CCTV footage shows Imoli following MP Were on Wabera Street in Nairobi, carrying a bag thought to have hidden the murder weapon and wearing police boots later recovered from Hikal’s home.
A search of Hikal’s house turned up ammo, teargas canisters, and other items now undergoing forensic testing. At Imoli’s residence, detectives found police uniforms, more than $4,800 in cash, and multiple phones now being analysed for evidence.
“Thousands of minutes of CCTV footage have been reviewed in an attempt to reconstruct the final moments of the late MP,” said Mulama during the court session. “Nine live rounds of ammunition and teargas canisters were also found at the second respondent’s home.”
Investigators suspect the assassination was planned by a well-funded criminal syndicate. Authorities are also tracking down more suspects, including a boda boda rider accused of helping the killers flee, and others believed to have been in contact with the main perpetrators.
Officials say the probe is highly intricate and will ramp up in the coming weeks, with follow-up operations set for Homa Bay County and other areas.
Earlier, an autopsy conducted by Government Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor revealed that Were died as a result of excessive bleeding and the collapse of vital organs. According to the post-mortem, the MP sustained five gunshot wounds during the fatal attack on the evening of Wednesday, April 30, along Ngong Road.
The bullets struck him in the chest and hands, with several piercing critical internal organs—injuries that Dr. Oduor stated are typically fatal due to the severity of internal damage and rapid blood loss.
