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Babu Owino claims he acted in self defence at B-Club as DCI prepare to charge him

In the dock: Babu Owino was arrested on Tuesday for shooting a DJ at B-Club, and detectives said they will charge him. /CFM-FILE.

NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 17 – Embakasi East MP Babu Owino now claims the shooting at B-Club that left a DJ with injuries is linked to threats to his life, which he had reported to police in November 2019, even as police confirmed the pistol used belong to him. They are now preparing to charge him.

Owino, who is under arrest for shooting the DJ, claims there was an exchange of fire in the club, but does not state who or how the DJ was shot.

“While enjoying the company of my friends at a popular Nairobi restaurant, I was surrounded by a large group of aggressive individuals. In the melee, there was an exchange of gunfire,” Owino said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

But CCTV footage from the club shows the MP smoking Shisha and drinking with his friends, he then draws a pistol and shoots a person, who has been identified by police as Felix Orinda alias Evolve, a Disk Jockey at the club. The incident occurred on Friday morning.

Speaking at the Kilimani Police Station, Owino’s lawyer Cliff Ombeta defended him, saying the shooting was not intentional. He explained that the MP was just reacting to a perceived threat to his life.

“A person who eventually he realised is his friend approached in a way that was unexpected, and Babu reacted, and eventually somebody was shot. So this was not intentional,” the lawyer told journalists, and urged police to thoroughly investigate the matter, “because this is someone who has been apprehensive about his life.”

Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti however, told Capital FM News that an investigation was underway. “He will face charges,” Kinoti said.

In Owino’s statement, he appeared to link the shooting to threats on his life, terming it political, saying, “A few weeks ago, I made a public statement regarding threats that I had been receiving against my life. At the turn of the year, I reported an attempted assassination at the Parliament Police Station under OB number OB21/17/11/2019 at 17:28hrs.”

“I have been living under the weight of intimidation and threats by my political opponents,” Owino said, and “Yesterday was the culmination of these efforts by my enemies.”

Babu Owino in court in a previous case. The first time MP who is a former student leader at the University of Nairobi has had run-ins with the law. /CFM-FILE.

Witnesses told police the DJ was shot in the neck.

“He suffered serious injuries and has been rushed to Nairobi Hospital,” a police officer said.

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Police said the MP was arrested at Nairobi Hospital where the victim had been rushed for treatment.

B-Club is an upmarket nightclub on Galana Road in Nairobi, often frequented by the middle and upper class.

Another senior police officer told Capital FM that the MPs gun had been recovered–a pistol with nine rounds of ammunition. A spent cartridge was also recovered.

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