Court frees suspects charged with murder of 6 bouncers in Busia over insufficient evidence

Five people who were charged last year with the murder of six bouncers at a funeral of a prominent businessman at Masebula village in Busia county have been set free.

The court, while acquitting the five said there was no sufficient evidence to charge them.

Among those released is the wife of the late businessman Johanes Okoth who was accused of paying a group of mourners to lynch the bouncers.

The incident occurred November last year.

The six bouncers – William Omondi, Elvis Odoyo, Evans Onyango, Richard Oduor, David Okeyo, and Philip Kwach – were murdered in cold blood during the funeral of Johannes Okoth, a local trader in Masebula village.

They were among seven reportedly hired to provide security during the funeral, only for locals to turn on them and lynch them on suspicion of murdering Mr. Okoth.

This was after it allegedly became unclear who they were and on whose invite they were securing the coffin.

A family member of the deceased previously told a local daily that the six claimed to have been hired by the late Mr. Okoth’s second wife but she denied it upon inquiry.