A Nairobi court has approved a 30-day detention for Isaac Kuria, alias “Kush,” the main suspect in the murder of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’onda Were. Kuria is alleged to have been hired to carry out the assassination, which occurred on April 30, 2025, near City Mortuary along Valley Road.
Investigating Officer Reuben Mwaniki told the court that Kuria was tracked through mobile phone data placing him at the scene before, during, and after the killing. CCTV footage and witness descriptions also support the case against him. Authorities say he was trying to flee to Tanzania when arrested in Isebania, Migori County, accompanied by his brother and step-sister.
Police claim the suspect was part of a larger network and had been in communication with accomplices, some of whom are in custody while others remain at large. Kuria’s arrest brings the total number of suspects detained to eleven. Among them are Were’s own bodyguard and driver, and several influential figures including businessman Phillip Aroko and Lake Basin Development Authority director Ebel Ochieng.
The DCI intends to further analyze CCTV footage, conduct ID parades, retrieve mobile phone data, and explore possible political and financial motives behind the assassination. Investigations are ongoing.
