After spending more than 12 hours in police custody without being presented in court, lawyers representing businessman Philip Nahashon Aroko have filed an urgent petition demanding that he be produced in court, either "alive or dead." Aroko, who, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said is a person of interest in the ongoing investigations into the death of Kasipul MP Charles Ong'ondo Were, was detained on Wednesday night after presenting himself at Gigiri Police Station.
In the application filed Thursday at the Milimani High Court, Aroko's lawyers Danstan Omari and Sam Nyaberi asked the court to compel the DCI and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to present their client before any court without further delay. "Pending the hearing and determination of this application, this Honourable Court be pleased to direct the 1st respondent (DCI) and the 2nd Respondent (IG), either singularly or jointly with the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions, to immediately and unconditionally present the applicant (Philip Aroko) before this court to be dealt with according to law," reads part of the petition.
Omari also wants the court to order Aroko's unconditional release from what he terms "unlawful and illegal custody." In a supporting affidavit, Omari states that Aroko has no involvement in the MP's murder and is willing to cooperate fully with investigators.
The petition reveals that Aroko was scheduled to be presented at the JKIA Law Courts at 9 a.m.
