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Jumwa, bodyguard to undergo mental assessment before plea-taking in murder case

By Brian Ocharo October 19th, 2020 1 min read

Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and her aide Geoffrey Okuto Otieno will remain in police custody until Thursday, when they will plead to murder charges over a man’s death in 2019.

The High Court in Mombasa County directed on Monday that the two be remanded at Port Police Station pending mental assessments that will determine their fitness to stand trial.

Ms Jumwa and Mr Otieno were taken to court days after Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Noordin Haji approved the murder charge over the death of Gumbao Jola during the Ganda Ward by-election.

Judge Njoki Mwangi issued the directives after dismissing their appeal for release on bond.

“It is hereby ordered that the suspects be remanded pending psychiatric examination,” said the judge.

Ms Jumwa and Mr Otieno will be taken to Coast General Hospital on October 21 for the exams.

The two had asked the court to release them on a Sh500,000 bond, which a magistrate’s court granted them last year.

The judge declined the request, arguing that the terms only applied to a miscellaneous application by the DPP’s office.