
A top suspect in the chilling murder of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were has been yanked back into police custody—just days after walking free on bail.
On Monday, Homabay politician Philip Nahashon Aroko was dramatically re-arrested after the High Court nullified a controversial decision that had set him loose on a Sh300,000 cash bail.
Justice Diana Kavedga of the High Court delivered the ruling that overturned the earlier decision by JKIA’s Chief Magistrate Irene Gichobi, declaring that Aroko’s release had been premature and unjustified.
“The court below failed to offer investigators sufficient time to dig into a case of this magnitude,” Judge Kavedga stated, sending shockwaves through the courtroom. “Granting such bail was not only premature—it undermined the very foundation of the investigation.”
According to the judge, the police had made a fair request for an additional seven days to piece together crucial evidence in a case that has left many Kenyans stunned.

Aroko, who had initially been detained for seven days following his May 9 appearance in court, was controversially released on May 16, despite investigators pushing for a 30-day remand to tighten their case.
But prosecutors weren’t done.
In a swift and calculated move, they filed a revision application the very same day—May 16—citing Section 362 and 364 of the Criminal Procedure Code, determined to keep Aroko behind bars.
Their fears? That Aroko’s freedom could sabotage the investigation—by tampering with evidence or pressuring potential witnesses.
Now, in what many are calling a major legal reversal, Justice Kavedga has revoked Aroko’s bail, ordering him back into custody at Kileleshwa Police Station for another seven days as detectives scramble to complete their probe.
The re-arrest has reignited public fury and debate around the unsolved murder of MP Were—a high-profile case that has left the nation demanding justice.
As the investigation intensifies, all eyes are now on what comes next in a case that’s far from over.