Kimilili MP-elect Didmus Barasa will remain in custody after a Bungoma Court ruled in connection with the alleged murder of his opponent's aide.
The Court allowed police to detain the lawmaker for ten more days, to allow them complete investigations.
The ruling was made following an application made by the prosecution, when Barasa was arraigned on Monday, August 15. The case will be heard on Wednesday, August 24.
On August 15, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) called on the state to ensure that the witnesses are protected as they feared testifying against the MP.
Among the witnesses were the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials and the National Youth Service (NYS) officers deployed to the polling station.
"Regional Head Western, Peter Kiprop, applied that court allows the ODPP engage Witness Protection Agency (WPA) to protect witnesses who expressed fear to testify," the statement read in part.
The MP was presented before the Court where he was charged with murder. Kiprop pleaded with the court to grant permission to hold him longer.
"Suspects are kept in custody before investigations are completed to curb any form of witness interference such as intimidation, physical harm or even death," the ODPP explained.
On the other hand, investigating officers asked with the court to allow them more time before presenting their findings as they awaited results for forensic analysis and the postmortem reports.
The lawmaker reportedly went into hiding following the incident at Chekwabi polling station on August 9.
Bungoma County Commissioner Samuel Kamiti had appealed to the vocal MP to surrender himself and his firearm to the police.
Detectives launched a manhunt for Barasa prompting his lawyer Dr John Khaminwa to file a petition to block the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and DPP from arresting or charging him.
On August 12, the lawmaker surrendered himself at the Bungoma police station. He denied claims that he was on the run, adding that he was in Nairobi.
Barasa claimed that he had survived an assassination attempt on the day he is accused of killing an opponent's aide.
The lawmaker stated that he was ready to cooperate with investigators to establish what killed the man.
