Nandi Senator Cherargei and 3 MPs to be charged, firearm licenses withdrawn

Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai has directed police commanders in Bungoma County to present in court Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, MPs Didmus Barasa, Wilson Kogo and Nelson Koech who were arrested on Thursday for allegedly intimidating voters during the Kabuchai by-election on Thursday.

The IG has further ordered that the firearm licenses of the four parliamentarians be suspended and the guns be surrendered to the DCI headquarters  for ballistic examination.

Mutyambai says Cherargei, Barasa, Kogo and Koech misused their firearms during the by-election.

“The IG has instructed Police commanders of jurisdictions where by-elections were carried out to arraign and charge the four (4) leaders who were arrested yesterday. The IG has equally instructed the Firearm Licensing Board to suspend firearm licenses held by the said Political leaders who misused their firearms,” said the IG in a statement issued on Friday.

“The affected individuals are hereby instructed to surrender the firearms to DCI Headquarters with immediate effect for ballistic examination.”

Police say the four legislators, who were detained at the Bungoma Police Station, were driving around polling stations with vehicles full of weapons with hired goons in tow.

The four however denied any such actions saying they were monitoring the conduct of the by-election, and daring the police to provide evidence to back their allegations.