LBDA Board Member Ebel Ochieng Kalo Arrested in MP Were’s Assassination Case

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested Ebel Ochieng Kalo, a board member of the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA), as investigations into the assassination of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were intensify.

Kalo, who was actively involved in United Democratic Alliance (UDA) campaigns during the last election in Homa Bay, was transported overnight to Nairobi where he is expected to appear before the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) law courts this morning.

According to court documents, Calo was apprehended in Nakuru and transported to Nairobi following detailed mobile phone triangulation and witness statements connecting him to the crime.

Investigators revealed that Calo, a neighbor of the late MP in Homa Bay, was in regular communication with other suspects before, during, and after the fatal shooting on April 30, 2025, near the City Mortuary roundabout along Ngong Road.

“Mobile data analysis and financial transaction records presented in court establish a clear pattern of coordination between the suspects,” stated a senior detective who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation.

Court documents further indicate that Calo had previously been in conflict with the legislator, with reports of threats allegedly made prior to the incident.

Investigators reported finding large sums of cash during raids on suspects’ properties.

Sources close to the investigation revealed that some of the accused have allegedly confessed to receiving payments in foreign currency for their role in the assassination.

The investigation has also led to the unexpected arrest of MP Were’s own bodyguard and driver, who are now suspected of playing a facilitative role in the murder.

The courtroom was tense as prosecutors presented evidence linking Kalo to William Imoli Shighali, alias Omar Shakur, who was captured on CCTV footage trailing MP Were along Nairobi’s Wabera Street shortly before the killing. Shighali, along with police officer Juma Ali Haikal, Douglas Muchiri Wambugu, and David Mihigo Kagame, will remain in custody for 30 days as investigations continue.

Defense attorney Edwin Oduor Odhiambo, representing Kalo, requested his client be detained separately from other suspects, citing security concerns.

The court granted this request, with Magistrate Walter Owino ordering Kalo be held at Kasipul Police Station while the other suspects remain distributed between Ruaraka, Muthaiga, Capitol Hill, and Kilimani stations.

“My client categorically denies any involvement in this heinous crime and is confident the evidence will exonerate him,” Odhiambo told journalists after the proceedings.

The defense team, including Attorney Allan Ogolla, argued that their client had been made a political scapegoat in the escalating tensions between rival political factions.

Political observers note that the case highlights the intensifying rivalry between former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the 2027 general election.

Were was described by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi as “a firm soldier of the Orange Democratic Movement.”

The prosecution, led by Dennis Manyasi, presented what they described as “compelling electronic evidence” linking Kalo to both the financial and logistical aspects of the assassination.

“The money trail, communication records, and geographic positioning data form an unbreakable chain of evidence,” Manyasi argued before the court.

DCI investigators also informed the court about the recovery of two firearms believed to be connected to the murder.

Ballistic analysis revealed one weapon had been used in at least three previous crimes in Komarock, Kayole, and Ndumberi.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has directed a thorough review of parliamentary security measures, including vetting all security personnel assigned to MPs.

“We want to know what kind of men and women are guarding us. We will do thorough vetting,” Wetang’ula stated during Were’s requiem mass at Consolata Shrine in Nairobi.

The late MP’s body will be airlifted to Homa Bay County today ahead of his burial tomorrow in Kachien Village, Kasipul Constituency.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has urged residents to maintain peace and unity during the funeral proceedings.

This case continues to develop as investigators pursue additional suspects, including individuals who reportedly facilitated the assassins’ escape and others who communicated with the core suspects around the time of the murder.