Embakasi East MP Babu Owino sought protection against a looming arrest by police over a robbery with violence incident he was linked to.
A report by Citizen TV on Tuesday, March 9, 2020, stated that the embattled MP made an application in court over the incident reported and filed at Kileleshwa Police Station and the Central Police Station in August 2015.
Court papers detailed that one Bernard Omondi had filed the complaint against Babu.
However, in the sworn affidavit seen by the publication, the two separate complaints filed at the two police stations were withdrawn by Omondi, in the presence of an investigating officer on Wednesday, August 12, 2015.
In his application on Tuesday, March 9, Babu argued that Omondi had orchestrated a plot to blackmail him into parting with an unstated amount of money or risk having the case re-opened.
He added that reopening the case would taint his name, subject him to ridicule and create uncalled for media attention.
However, Babu told Kenyans.co.ke on Tuesday, March 10 that the report was part of a campaign to tarnish his name.
"I haven't gone to court nor have I filed any application against such a case. Those are parts of a scheme set up to smear my name," he refuted.
A senior lawyer who spoke with Kenyans.co.ke argued that reopening cases depended on certain aspects. Capital offences such as murder and robbery with violence were subject to the government's directive, unlike petty offences.
"If a complainant withdraws charges, they at times swear against reopening the case, if the case is petty and can be solved amicably. However, capital offences are under the government's jurisdiction's and it has the authority to review and reopen the cases," the attorney stated.
Citizen TV further detailed that Babu's lawyers argued that the intention to re-open the case was politically motivated as it surfaced at a time he was facing attempted murder charges in court.
Babu was accused of shooting an entertainer, Felix Orinda (DJ Evolve) in a posh club in Nairobi in January 2020. He was arrested and later released as his cash bail was later halved from Ksh10 million to Ksh5 million.
