Migori Governor Okoth Obado was Tuesday evening putting on a strong show in the face of allegations concerning the abduction and murder of university student Sharon Otieno.
At the Kisumu’s Nyanza DCI headquatres, Mr Obado emerged from a seven-hour questioning and was whisked out of the police station in police cars.
He had told investigators of the need to maintain his security amid protests in Migori as he rejected any links to the kidnapping and murder of Ms Otieno.
His lawyers Cliff Ombeta and Roger Sagana fronted a defence, saying their client was not involved in the murder or scheme to kidnap.
“Our client should not be associated with what happened. He has not been arrested. He came here to record a statement and that is what he has done,” Mr Ombeta said.
But for a man who was driven into a police station to give his side of the story, the dramatic way he was whisked out of the station raised questions.
During questioning, detectives had also taken unspecified samples from him, although Mr Ombeta declined to confirm if they were DNA related, arguing they could jeopardise investigations.
Sources say Mr Obado told the police that while he may have met or spoke with Ms Otieno and journalist Barrack Oduor, he had not planned to abduct or kill them.
He was thrust into controversy last week after Ms Otieno, seven months pregnant, was kidnapped and later found murdered by the roadside in Homa Bay. She was kidnapped together with Nation journalist Barrack Oduor who said he escaped from the captors' moving car and reported to Kendu Bay Police Station.
Mr Oduor named Michael Oyamo, Obado's PA, as the person who invited him to the meeting that led to the abduction.
On Tuesday, Mr Obado distanced himself from the actions of his PA.
Detectives including those from the Homicide section were questioning him to explain whether the PA acted on his instructions to hire the suspected four-member killer gang.
He denied. Mr Oyamo had also denied hiring the gang.
As Mr Obado sat in the interrogation room, police also brought in Mr Oyamo from Homa Bay.
Police had re-arrested him moments after he was "unconditionally" released as ordered by court, after police failed to charge him.
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