Didmus Barasa ordered by DCI to surrender to a police station within six hours

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has ordered Kimilili Member of Parliament (MP) Didmus Barasa to surrender to the nearest police station within a six-hour time frame.

The MP has been on the run after he was declared the main suspect in the murder of Brian Olunga on August 9. Olunga was the bodyguard of Kimilili MP aspirant Brian Khaemba.

"The Directorate of Criminal Investigations is warning Hon Didmus Barasa, who has since gone into hiding after the brutal murder of one Brian Olunga, to surrender to the nearest police station within the next 6-hours," read a statement from DCI.

Barasa who was vying on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket beat Khaemba of the Democratic Action Party with 26,861 to 9,497 votes respectively.

[FILE] Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa in a previous rally trying to woo voters by climbing into a wheelbarrow that was placed on top of his vehicle. The wheelbarrow is his party symbol Pulse Live Kenya

READ: IEBC gives Didmus Barasa 1 condition to award him winners certificate

What exactly happened?

A police incident report states that Khaemba arrived at the Chebukwabi polling station to observe the vote counting accompanied by his security guard.

The two politicians ran into each other and an altercation ensued after which Khaemba attempted to leave.

“Barasa followed him in the company of four men and ordered them not to allow him (Khaemba) to leave the place but Khaemba's driver Joshua Nasokho defied the order and ignited the vehicle,” Bungoma head of DCI Joseph Ondoro said.

Brian Khaemba during the hearing of ruling over his dismissal on grounds of abuse of office on August 30, 2019 Pulse Live Kenya

READ: Chebukati explains what happens to Kimilili MP seat as police hunt for Didmus Barasa

At that point, Barasa allegedly pulled a gun and discharged it at Olunga. DCI has already launched a search for the missing legislator who is said to have escaped to Uganda using a motorbike.

Chebukati explains what happens to Kimilili MP seat

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has withheld the election certificate belonging to Barasa.

IEBC Kimilili Returning Officer George Omondi turned away an agent who said he was sent to receive the certificate on Thursday, August 11.

Omondi said that the election certificate could only be handed over to the MP who must appear physically at the Kimilili tallying centre.

NAIROBI, KENYA - 2022/08/01: Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati speaks during a multistakeholder meeting held jointly by the Women Mediators Network Kenya and the National Mediation Peace Team at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi. (Photo by John Ochieng/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Pulse Live Kenya

On Wednesday, IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati said that the matter was outside the commission’s hands and would leave investigative authorities to handle it. He explained that the commission would only be involved if the MP is convicted.

“That is a matter for the police and I believe the law will take its course because the commission does not deal with those kinds of cases. Our officers on the ground will be witnesses and as far as the law goes, until that time an individual is convicted, the commission will not want to interfere with the criminal investigation,” Chebukati said.