Witness tells court how much rider was paid to ferry MP Charles Were's assasin

A protected witness has told the High Court that he received Sh50,000 after unknowingly ferrying the man accused of assassinating Kasipul MP Charles Ong'ondo Were, offering fresh details about the movements leading up to and immediately after the fatal shooting.

The witness, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons, testified before Justice Diana Kavedza at the Kibera Law Courts during the ongoing murder trial.

He insisted that at the time, he believed he had simply been hired to provide transport on his motorcycle and had no idea he was aiding suspects linked to a murder.

His testimony is expected to strengthen the prosecution's case by helping piece together the events before and after the MP was gunned down.

The court heard that the witness was contacted to pick up a man in Jacaranda, whom prosecutors identify as the alleged hitman.

After meeting him, the pair first stopped at a car wash where they had a meal before riding to Buruburu.

It was there that they met another suspect driving a white Toyota saloon with registration number KAZ.

The witness told the court the motorcycle and the car then travelled together towards Nairobi's Central Business District, making a stop at a petrol station along Juja Road where the driver of the Toyota paid for fuel.

Although one of the suspects was carrying a small bag, the witness said nothing about the trip appeared unusual at the time.

According to the witness, he was instructed to wait while the suspects monitored the victim's movements around Parliament.

He later rode behind the late MP's white Toyota Crown as it moved through Kenyatta Avenue, Valley Road and Hurlingham before reaching the Daystar University roundabout.

Traffic slowed the vehicles, prompting the passenger on the motorcycle to ask the rider to stop.

He told the court the passenger immediately ran back, climbed onto the motorcycle and instructed him to speed away from the scene without explaining what had happened.

The pair returned to Buruburu.

The witness said he was later paid Sh50,000 for the transport services.

He maintained throughout his testimony that he only learnt of the killing after the incident and denied having any prior knowledge of a plan to assassinate the MP.

The prosecution believes his evidence places both the alleged gunman and the driver of the KAZ vehicle together before and after the attack, providing another link in its case against the accused.

The day's proceedings were held behind closed doors because the witness is under the Witness Protection Programme.

Access to the courtroom was restricted, with only the judge, lawyers, prosecutors, court officials and other authorised persons allowed inside.

The murder trial continues at the Kibera Law Courts as the prosecution lines up more witnesses in its bid to prove the case against those accused of orchestrating the killing of the Kasipul legislator.