Kimilili MP charged with assault, freed on cash bail
Yusuf Masibo
Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa was yesterday arrested and charged in court for allegedly assaulting a contractor Stephen Masinde.
The embattled MP was charged with causing grevious harm to Masinde, who is also a musician popularly known as ‘Steve Kay.’ He risks life imprisonment if convicted of the offence.
The MP, however, denied the charges and was released on a Sh100,000 cash bail. The bail terms include an order to refrain from intimidating the complainant or his witnesses.
Barasa was captured on video, that has since gone viral, assaulting the contractor at Lurare primary school in Kamukuywa ward after the latter locked the classrooms to block the ceremony over unpaid Sh3.4 million fees.
Masinde was accompanied by his colleague, Ronald Graham Wafula, who is also a key witness in the assault case.
Finish work first
Drama ensued after the legislator found out that the musician together with one Ronald Graham had locked up the new classrooms demanding money for construction fees before handing over the new classrooms.
Police on Monday said they had received the P3 form from the musician following the July 30, drama.
In his statement to the police, the contractor said he had unsuccessfully tried to reach the MP over the payment through the National Government Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
He added that Barasa had convinced him to finish the work and get payment after the work is complete but later declined to pay.
On Friday, the MP arrived at the school to launch the five renovated classrooms when he realised that they had been locked by the same contractor. A brief altercation ensued, leading to the assault.
Detectives from the Kimilili sub-county Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) launched investigations and the musician was issued with a police medical examination form (P3).
Yesterday morning, the detectives raided the MP’s rural home and arrested him before he was later arraigned.
He was charged before Kimilili Principal Magistrate Gladys Omolo where he denied the charges and was released on cash bail. The hearing of the case is scheduled for September 27.
Repeat offender
Masinde’s lawyer Bryan Khaemba said Barasa had also been barred from contacting his client either indirectly or directly.
Khaemba yesterday also demanded that the case be moved from Kimilili law courts claiming that the MP may interfere with it.
The controversial MP had been in the past charged in court with fraudulently obtaining money from a businesswoman.
He was also in August last year charged with fraudulently selling a car worth Sh450,000 belonging to John Irungu Mwangi.
According to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the MP also faces a charge of fraudulently disposing of mortgaged property.
