Three suspects accused of assaulting Vihiga Senator, Godfrey Osotsi, have been released on a Sh1 million bond each, with a surety of a similar amount, after a Kisumu court ruled that the prosecution had failed to provide compelling reasons to deny them bail.

Senior Principal Magistrate Lorraine Ogombe, while delivering the ruling at the Kisumu Law Courts yesterday, said the state did not sufficiently justify continued detention of the accused, underscoring the constitutional right to bail.

“I hereby allow the application for bond. I am admitting each of the accused persons to a bond of one million shillings plus one surety for a similar amount,” Ogombe ruled.

The release of the suspects immediately raised questions about how the supposed riffraffs could afford obviously stuff bail conditions even for people on blue-chip company payrolls.

There are has concerns that the suspected goons are retained by the state with Principal Secretary for Interior Raymond Omollo, suspected to be the key financier of hooliganism in the lakeside city where the crime occured.

The three Carlos Owiti, Eric Otieno and Vincent Odhiambo, have been in custody for seven days. They denied two counts of robbery with violence and stealing when they appeared before the court.

The court directed that the matter proceeds to a pre-trial conference on May 6, 2026, setting the stage for a full hearing of the case. The charges stem from an incident in which Senator Osotsi was attacked by goons at a cafe in Kisumu, a development that sparked public outcry and heightened political fears state-attention in the region.

Although details of the assault remain the subject of ongoing investigations, the involvement of a sitting senator has elevated the case’s profile.

Robbery with violence, one of the charges facing the accused, is considered a serious crime under Kenyan law and often attracts severe penalties upon conviction. The prosecution had opposed the release of the suspects on Bond, but the Court found the arguments insufficient to warrant their continued detention.

In her ruling, Ogombe explained that bail is a constitutional right unless the prosecution demonstrates compelling reasons such as the likelihood of the accused interfering with witnesses, absconding or posing a threat to public safety.

The prosecution is expected to present its case during the trial, where the Court will determine the culpability or innocence of the accused based on the evidence.

The three suspects arrested in connection with the attack on Vihiga Senator, Geoffrey Osotsi, in Kisumu.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Chris Mahandara