Former ODM executive director Magerer Lang’at being tossed out of Orange House last year. The MCAs who allegedly assaulted Magerer will be arraigned in court tomorrow. Photo/FILE

MCAs face charges over violent attack on Magerer

in News February 11, 2015 Comments Off

By Kinyuru Munuhe @kinyurumunuhe
Detectives attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at Kilimani Police Station have arrested two Nairobi MCAs and released them on bond waiting to be charged tomorrow over last year’s assault on former ODM executive director Magerer Lang’at.
Police are looking for four others to be enjoined in tomorrow’s court case after the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) sanctioned the six to be charged in court.
Catherine Opiyo and Alvin Olando were arrested, but released on bond. Police are now hunting down for Majority Leader Elias Otieno, George Ochieng, Bernard Keduando and Daniel Woria. “Two of them were arrested on Monday and released on bond. Four others are being sought by police and they will all be arraigned in court on Thursday,” A senior officer involved in the probe intimated.
If they are convicted of any criminal offence, the MCA’s will lose their seats for falling short of the leadership and Integrity provisions as provided in the Constitution. Last year, in what appeared to be an attempt by the ODM top brass to punish the MCAs, the party’s National Executive Council fined the 10 leaders Sh10, 000 each for the assault on Magerer.
However, Magerer had lodged a formal complaint handled by a multi-agency team comprising of the DPP’s office, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the DCI. Police sources revealed they have credible evidentiary report to sustain prosecution and possible conviction.
After the ODM top organ ‘fined’ the attackers, police took final statements from the accused and forwarded the file to the DPP’s office. In November last year, nine MCA’s involved in public assault, mishandling and humiliation of Magerer have since been grilled.
They include Otieno, Catherine Hellen Katangie, Samuel Nyangwara, Oscar Otieno, Jaffer Kassam, George Ochieng, Alvin Palapala, Daniel Oria and Nelson Masiga, Oscar was caught on camera deflating Magerer’s vehicle tyres.
Magerer was forcefully ejected from the party’s parliamentary group meeting by some ODM Nairobi MCAs who are on record accusing him of spying for Jubilee in presence of top ODM officials, among them party leader Raila Odinga. Magerer admitted that his future in ODM is bleak since ODM members have publicly declared they are not comfortable working with him amid growing dissent within the party.