Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has announced he will move to the High Court to sue the state after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dropped charges against him and six other co-accused.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, June 5, Owino said he would seek compensation from the government and a declaration that their rights were violated.
He also noted that he would ask the court to compel the government to bear the costs of the case. “We have decided that we will proceed to the High Court to file a constitutional petition because there were violations of rights as the accused persons.
We were never presented before any competent court of law within 24 hours as prescribed by the law,” said Owino.He added, “Some of our prayers will be a declaration of violation of our rights, we will seek damages in the form of money because our time has been wasted by this court and the costs shall be borne by the state.”
Milimani chief magistrate Lucas Onyina terminated the case against the Embakasi East lawmaker and his co-accused after the DPP through its lawyer James Gachoka informed the court of their intention to drop the charges.
“I have considered the submissions, the application made by the prosecution is meditated and therefore the case is terminated,” said Onyina.
Owino and the co-accused were arrested in 2023 and charged with conspiracy to commit subversive activities by planning the Azimio anti-government protests.
The ODM MP was charged alongside Calvin Okoth Otieno alias Gaucho, Tom Ondongo Ong’udi, Michael Otieno Omondi, Pascal Ouma, Kevin Wambo, and Willys Owino Baraka.
