How witness was paid Sh50,000 to trail slain MP Ong’ondo Were’s vehicle

The prosecution strengthened its case in the murder trial of former Kasipul lawmaker Charles Ong’ondo Were after presenting a key witness under the Witness Protection Programme before the High Court at Kibera.

Prosecution, led by Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Vincent Monda, alongside Senior Assistant Directors of Public Prosecutions Wangui Gikuyi and Sarah Ogweno, and Principal Prosecution Counsel Christine Timoi and Peris Maina, presented the protected witness before Justice Diana Kavedza.

For security reasons, the witness testified under the pseudonym KAV, with their identity shielded under the Witness Protection Programme.

During the hearing, KAV gave a detailed account of how they were paid to allegedly trail the lawmaker’s vehicle moments to his death.

The witness told the court that on the morning of the incident, they received a call from a known contact who offered them a driving assignment.

As a motorbike rider, they were initially directed to Huruma, a Nairobi suburb, before receiving another call from an unknown individual who changed the meeting point to Jacaranda, kilometres away from the initial meeting place.

Upon arrival, the caller informed KAV that the assignment would earn them Sh50,000. They were handed an Airtel SIM card for communication during the assignment but not informed the nature of the assignment.

KAV testified that the individual boarded the motorcycle as a pillion passenger and directed them to a sports facility in Buruburu, where they briefly stopped and the passenger left before returning in a white motor vehicle occupied by himself and another person.

KAV was then instructed to follow the vehicle with the motorcycle.

According to the testimony, the motorbike and the car later stopped at a petrol station along Jogoo Road in Nairobi to refuel the motorcycle before proceeding to Nairobi’s Central Business District.

Upon arrival in the CBD and waiting for the whole day for the assignment, KAV’s boss again boarded the motorcycle at dusk and instructed them to trail another white motor vehicle, different from the one they had been following earlier.

The witness further told court that the passenger remained on the motorcycle until they reached a designated location, where he alighted and walked away.

Moments later, KAV heard gunshots before the individual returned, boarded the motorcycle and instructed the witness to ride to another location, where they eventually parted ways.

KAV got home and received a call from the initial contact who introduced them to the assignment asking where they had done the job.

Upon KAV sharing the details, the contact asked them to check the news on television which showed the legislator’s death.

KAV confirmed they had been at the location and the vehicle in the news was similar to the one they had trailed.

KAV also told the court that they met the same individual the following day and received payment for the transport services rendered during the operation as agreed. The individual also destroyed the Airtel simcard and gave them a new Airtel simcard for further updates.

Were died on the evening of April 30, 2025 after being shot by unknown gunmen near City Mortuary in Nairobi.
Hearing continues on July 16, 2026.

Five suspects face murder charges for the 2025 killing of Were. They include William Imoli Shigali (Imo), Edwin Oduor Odhiambo (Machuani), Ebel Ochieng (Dave Calo), Isaac Kuria Chege (Kush), and Allan Omondi Ogola.

The murder was linked to politics and business deals in Homa Bay County.