'I also want to know what happened': Didmus Barasa claims innocence in shooting incident

Kimilili MP-elect Didmus Barasa, who has been accused of allegedly shooting and killing an aide of his political rival Brian Khaemba, has seemingly intimated that he is innocent.

Speaking to journalists after he turned himself over to Bungoma police on Friday, Barasa distanced himself from allegations that he had knowingly opened fire and killed Brian Olunga in cold blood, instead insisting that the events of the day of the said incident remain blurry even to him.

Barasa, who is reported to have taken flight following the shooting, likewise spoke out on why he took time to turn himself over to police, noting that he had travelled to Nairobi to seek anticipatory bail from the High Court pending his arrest.

"When I saw on TV our regional police commander asking me to surrender, I drove all the way from Nairobi to this place and I am ready to cooperate with the police so that I can also know what killed that young man," he said.

The MP went on claim that he was not the only person who was armed with a gun during the August 9 shooting incident.

According to the legislator, multiple people also had weapons on sight – including the police – all of whom he now wants to surrender the said firearms so that they be subjected to forensic analysis.

"On that voting day there were other people with guns as well including my competitor and the police officer who was manning that polling station. We will be making applications that all those firearms be subjected to a forensic analysis for investigations," he said.

According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Barasa will be held at the Bungoma Police Station pending arraignment in court on Monday.

"Hon. Didmus Barasa, MP Kimilili, will spend the weekend at the Bungoma Police Station as ODPP deferred charges against him, to allow the Homicide detectives complete investigations. He will be presented in court on Monday, 15th Aug. 2022," the ODPP said in a statement.

As per a police report seen by Citizen Digital, the shooting occurred when Khaemba went to Chebukwabi polling station at around 6pm on August 9 to witness the vote counting process.

He however met Barasa at the polling station and an argument ensued between them, hence he decided to leave just a few moments after arriving.

Khaemba headed towards his car but “Barasa followed him in the company of four men and ordered them not to allow him  (Khaemba) to leave".

Khaemba's driver defied Barasa's order and ignited his vehicle which prompted the legislator to allegedly open fire on Olunga, who succumbed to injuries en route to hospital.