Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa, her bodyguard deny murder charges

By Mourice Seretta

Malindi Member of Parliament Aisha Jumwa together with her bodyguard Geoffrey Otieno was on Thursday charged with the murder of Gumbao Jola during a by-election in Malindi in 2019.

Jumwa and her bodyguard denied the charges before Mombasa judge Njoki Mwangi.

The defense counsels led by Danstan Omari, Jared Magolo and Cliff Ombeta asked the court to release Jumwa and her bodyguard on reasonable bond terms arguing that the state has been frustrating the MP and her aide through calculated moves which aim at denying them bond.

The lawyers urged the court to disregard all the negative efforts by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and grant the accused persons bail but assistant DPP Alloys Kemo asked the court to grant them one hour in order to file their affidavit to oppose bond.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions last week okayed a murder charge against Jumwa over the killing of a man during last year’s Ganda Ward by-election.

Jola was shot in the shoulder and killed during the chaos and several other people, including police officers, were injured.