Babu Owino Charged with Subversion, Could Face Seven Years in Prison

Babu Owino Charged with Subversion, Could Face Seven Years in Prison

Embakasi East MP Paul Ongili, well known as Babu Owino, was on Tuesday morning charged with two counts of subversion and making abusive remarks against President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Appearing before a judge at Milimani law courts, the prosecution requested the court to deny bail to the MP. Prosecution lawyer Nicholas Mutuku said the MP has four previous charges of similar nature and the gravity of the offence Owino faces is a compelling reason not to grant him bail.

Another prosecuter Catherine Mwaniki, told the Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi that the MP is an influential person and might interfere with witnesses if released and that tracing him might be difficult since he has no fixed home.

In reply, Owino's lawyer James Orengo urged the court to look at the evidence before him and not what the prosecutions imagines, adding that the charges are defective. He said presidency is not a public officer and amorphous, and can run into scores of people.

The MP was taken in by police officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations on Monday a day after he made the derogatory sentiments reportedly targeting President Uhuru Kenyatta during an opposition rally in Nairobi's Kawangware area.

If found guilty, the former Students' Organisation of Nairobi University (SONU) leader could face 7 years in prison.

Comments

Anonymous (not verified)     Tue, 09/26/2017 @ 08:23am

Nonsense - orengo will drive him home tomorrow and the case will be history - just like muthama, kuria etc - upuzi mtupu - and by next week, he will be screaming - TIBIM - TIBIM - TIALALA - TIALALA - uhii mutheri - mainugu

Imara (not verified)     Tue, 09/26/2017 @ 08:46am

Is this happening to Kenya again? Uhuru should be arrested and charged for undermining the judiciary by calling them "wakora."

Imara (not verified)     Tue, 09/26/2017 @ 11:17am

@Sukari

We didn't have a national leader before our British brothers and sisters introduced the idea to us. We are going overboard with the way we are treating this alien idea of a national leader. During his critical moment of his formative years, Uhuru was exposed to two ruthless characters who formed the way he wants to be treated. Uhuru is an extension of Kenyatta's and Toroitich's style of leadership.

Uhuru no matter what you think of yourself, you will be history come 2022. Ask yourself this question, what's going to be your legacy 100 years from now? Right now, your legacy is not favorable. People have started to be killed as it happened during your father's and Kipkoros regimes. Corruption and nepotism has reached an all time high. You are openly drinking alcohol in public which is illegal.

I suggest that you resign. Please convince your elder brother Raila to do the same. Kenya can definitely do better without the two of you.

Long live Kenya without Uhuru or Raila as the president of Kenya.

JustMe (not verified)     Tue, 09/26/2017 @ 11:53am

Babu the man who receives free money from fellow men.... mundu mugi dari mihere ya uhoro... I hope he's put in Kamiti where his jail-mates can sample his tiny hiny for nada.

Sukari (not verified)     Tue, 09/26/2017 @ 01:50pm

@justMe, I get your drift. I did think he has some sort of way about him. Lakini thought, Nairobi imebadilika siku hizi. Nenda salon and the person next to you ni dume, having a manicure/pedicure then painting them, than he gets slathered down with a facial. Compe! We! Mambo ni mengine siku hizi.

@Imara, ndugu, nisamehe lakini wani chosha na forojo za Toroitich. What has being called mtoto wa umbwa got to do with this. Naku hofia wewe...nathani wahitaji likizo ndefu jamhuri Kenya baba.

Onesmus Ochunyo (not verified)     Tue, 09/26/2017 @ 02:00pm

I think I feel sorry for this boy Babu Owino. He thought he could say anything in a country with freedom of speech as others have done before him and got away with it. But he went too far. He's not also a veteran politician like Muthama or Kuria. He might now pay the big price and be a lesson to all the others who cannot control their emotions in before the cameras. But he has the smartest lawyer in the country James Orengo who will get him out in a day or two. But then, what does those arrests and charging stand for? They should have just left him alone to continue promoting his religion of tibim and tialala

JJ (not verified)     Tue, 09/26/2017 @ 06:57pm

Am with Imara, Kenya needs to rid of both parties leading duos and start a fresh...we are not going anywhere with either of these two sides in the helm...

Anonymous (not verified)     Tue, 09/26/2017 @ 07:30pm

Young man seat down with Baba and have him teach you a few methalis. You do not have to insult people to get your message across. You also seem to be in a hurry to be known.Ask Raila politicians are not born overnight just like Rome was not built in a day. Respect is earned and cannot be forced.At the moment you are a nobody and will be for a long time. You need to tame that mouth of yours becuase at the moment you are writing checks that your butt cannot cash.You do not have the political clout that Raila has at the moment Jubilee can make you disappear and frankly few if any people would give a damn. Chill out for a bit maybe with time people may forgive you and next time think before you speak your high school antics are getting old and the Kenyan electorate is not Nairobi campus .Not impressed one bit.

OneDay@times (not verified)     Tue, 09/26/2017 @ 08:23pm

Can the the true judge presiding over this case do a Maraga surprise and break the tradition of letting hate mongers run amok in this nation.

D Mwose (not verified)     Tue, 09/26/2017 @ 08:34pm

ATI BABU OWINO CHARGED WITH SUBVERSION. THE QUESTION IS WHAT DID HE SUBVERT? AND WHAT DID THEY CHARGE MOSES KURIA WITH WHEN HE EQUATED RAO WITH THE CURSED CAIN OF THE BIBLE LEGEND.

Just wondering.

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