Three suspects charged over Osotsi's attack deny charges, freed on Sh1m bond

Three suspects charged in connection with the alleged assault of Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi have denied the charges and released on a Sh1 million bond each.

The ruling was delivered on Friday by Senior Principal Magistrate Lorraine Ogombe, who allowed the accused persons to be freed on bond pending the hearing of the case.

“I am admitting the accused persons to a bond of Sh1 million plus one surety of a similar amount,” Magistrate Ogombe ruled.

The court further directed that the matter proceed to a pre-trial conference scheduled for May 6, 2026.

The three suspects were arraigned before a Kisumu court, where they faced charges linked to the alleged attack on the senator.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges, maintaining their innocence as the prosecution laid out its case.

In earlier proceedings, the court had also dealt with an application by investigators seeking additional time to hold the suspects in custody to allow further inquiries.

The prosecution had requested up to 14 days of detention, arguing that the matter required more time to gather crucial evidence, including witness statements and other investigative leads.

At one stage, a Kisumu court, presided over by Magistrate Daniel Chumba, had considered a request to detain the suspects for seven days to facilitate ongoing investigations into the alleged robbery with violence case said to have stemmed from the incident involving the senator.

However, the court ultimately declined to extend custodial detention, opting instead to release the suspects on bond while the case proceeds through the judicial process.

Earlier, Senator Osotsi was discharged from the Karen Hospital where he thanked leaders, supporters and his family for standing by him as he recounted the sequence of events that preceded the attack.

“I must thank you for showing up for my family in this short period. Many people came to visit me in the hospital, particularly members of Linda Mwananchi,” the Senator said.

Osotsi, who was seated at a restaurant, explained that he had sent his security officer to withdraw money from a nearby location, a short distance from where he was seated, when moments later, a group of between 15 and 20 youths entered the complex.

“I was seated facing the main entrance, so I saw them coming in. They did not look hostile. They were shouting ‘Senator’. Two of them greeted me. I did not see any danger.”

“All of a sudden, they started hitting me and asking why I was supporting one term.... Before long, I was unconscious because they hit me so hard. I tried to run away, I fell down, and they continued to hit me,” he added.

Osotsi said he ran through the kitchen door of the restaurant, where his security team managed to evacuate him to safety and later to hospital.