The Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) have come up with a new legal strategy to nail Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa, a co-accused in the murder of an ODM supporter, Gumbao Jola on October 15, 2019.
On Wednesday, February 3, Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Alloy Kemo, said that they had gathered evidence that would incriminate the suspects. The exhibits included an AK47 and another rifle that was reportedly used to murder the deceased.
They also disclosed that they would furnish the court with spent cartridges collected from the crime scene
DPP Noordin Haji's office added that they had also managed to draw a sketch plan of the murder scene, had in-depth postmortem results and other relevant documents.
Detectives have also lined up 30 witnesses who are expected to testify against Jumwa.
Her attorney, Jared Magolo requested more time to peruse through the exhibits tabled in court. The prosecution, however, refuted and claimed that the antics were pure ploys to delay the case.
State Counsel said that the DPP had furnished the defense with all the necessary evidence that will be tabled during the trial.
Justice Anne Onginjo postponed the trial to July 2021 after the ODM MP's lawyers said that she was not ready to proceed with the case. The judge took over the case after Justice Njoki Mwangi recused herself.
Onginjo directed the two sides to be ready for trial as both of them had over four months to go through court documents. Jumwa and his boyfriend, Geoffrey Otieno, were each released on Ksh 1.5 million cash bail in October 2019.
The two were charged with the murder of Gumbao Jola, the uncle to Ganda MCA Reuben Katana. Gumbao died from bullet wounds after he was shot during an altercation between Jumwa and ODM supporters at a campaign rally in Ganda, Kilifi County on October 15, 2019.
Witnesses alleged that Gumbao was shielding his nephew when the incident occurred. Jumwa and Otieno were also investigated for incitement to violence, assault, electoral offenses and breach of the Elections Code of Conduct.
Police records indicated that Jumwa was planning to disrupt the Ganda by-election scheduled for Thursday, October 17 using a gang of supporters from Takaungu in Kilifi County.
ODM considered her a rebel and hinted at expelling her from the party as she had campaigned for another candidate and also aligned herself with anti-ODM politicians.
