The murder trial of Kasipul Member of Parliament Ong'ondo Were took a dramatic turn on Tuesday as the eighth prosecution witness gave his testimony behind closed doors at the Kibera Law Courts.
Under tight security, the witness, a boda boda rider, painted a chilling picture of how events unfolded on the day the lawmaker was killed.
According to the rider, his involvement began when he was summoned to Jacaranda, where he first met the man who would later be identified as the hitman.
The rider explained that he was simply doing his job, ferrying passengers to earn a living, unaware that he was being drawn into a deadly plot.
The witness told the court that he used his motorcycle to transport the suspect to a car wash, where they stopped briefly for a meal before continuing with their journey.
It was in Buruburu that they linked up with a second man, who was driving a white Toyota Crown. The two vehicles then moved together towards Nairobi's Central Business District, making a stop at a petrol station along Jogoo Road to refuel. The driver of the Toyota Crown paid for the fuel, the court heard.
What followed was a careful surveillance operation that would ultimately lead to the MP's killing.
The witness revealed that one suspect was carrying a small bag, and his role was simply to wait while the others conducted surveillance on the victim within the Parliament area.
The rider then trailed the victim's vehicle, another white Toyota Crown, through various Nairobi streets including Kenyatta Avenue, Valley Road, and Hurlingham, until they reached the Daystar University roundabout.
It was at this roundabout that the situation took a deadly turn. Due to heavy traffic, the suspect ordered the rider to stop.
Moments later, gunshots rang out, shattering the quiet of the afternoon. The suspect quickly returned, jumped onto the motorcycle, and commanded the rider to flee the scene immediately. They rushed back to Buruburu, where the rider would later receive Ksh.50,000 for his services.
Throughout his testimony, the witness maintained that he had no knowledge of any murder plot. Before Justice Diana Kavetza, he insisted that he believed he was only providing transport services, just like any other day on the job.
He remained under heavy protection throughout his testimony, underscoring the sensitivity of the case.
The witness's account now forms a crucial link in the prosecution's case, placing both the alleged hitman and the driver of the Toyota Crown at the scene of Ong'ondo Were's killing.
As the trial continues at the Kibera Law Courts, which remain sealed to the public, the search for justice presses forward behind those closed doors.
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