In the recent past, Members of County Assembly (MCAs) have been hitting headlines, not for good deeds but for wrangles. Today, Four MCAs in Homa Bay have been charged with assaulting a court server at the assembly last month.
Four Homabay MCAs arraigned in a Kisumu court, charged with assault to a court server and released on Sh. 50,000 bond and two sureties of a similar amount.
The four are; Nereah Amondi, Michael Ojala, Philemon Okombo and Michael Odira pic.twitter.com/gVd673th8O— Dala Fm Kenya (@Dalafmkenya) December 4, 2018
The four, Nereah Amondi, Michael Ojala, Philemon Okombo and Michael Odira denied assaulting Elvice Ochieng.
Senior Resident Magistrate Martha Agutu released them on a Sh50,000 bond each and sureties of a similar amount.
The magistrate rejected a plea by the prosecution to detain the four for further investigations because they will interfere with witnesses.
Agutu said the prosecution did not give compelling reasons to detain the four suspects.
“Giving bond is a constitutional right and I find no reason to deny their release,” the magistrate ruled.
Lawyer Francis Olel, who was appearing for the suspects, wondered why the investigating officer could not complete the investigations in time yet the incident allegedly happened a month ago.
Lawyer Peter Kaluma asked the court top release their clients on reasonable cash bail.
The case will be heard on January 24, 2019.
This comes barely a week after two other MCAs from the same County, Julius Gaya and Philomen Onditi were also charged with assaulting the court server.
Ochieng is alleged to have been assaulted as he sought to serve Clerk Joseph Kaudo with a contempt order.
The order was to summon the Clerk for allegedly allowing the swearing-in of Gwassi North MCA Evans Marieba as acting Speaker.
Homa Bay county has been embroiled in wrangles since the ouster of former Majority leader Richard Ogindo.
What do you think should be done to end the continued wrangles in the county assemblies?