A packed courtroom in Eldoret erupted in laughter Tuesday afternoon when the son of Turkana Governor Jeremiah Ekamais Lomorukai declined to testify in English in a case where Turkana South MP John Ariko and seven others are accused of attacking his younger brother.
The older brother, Lavish Lomorukai, candidly admitted difficulty with English and pleaded with the court to testify in Kiswahili.
“I do not have good command of spoken English, and I will be happy and comfortable if you allow me to testify in our national language, Kiswahili,” Lavish said, drawing laughter from those in attendance.
Presiding magistrate Kesse Cheronoh granted his request after defense lawyer Vincent Githaiga representing the accused, had insisted on Lavish to testify in English.
In his testimony, Lavish recounted what happened on the night of April 29, 2024, when his younger brother, Nimrod Lomorukai, called him in distress, claiming he had been attacked by a group believed to be supporters of Turkana South MP John Ariko.
Lavish told the court that he was hosting visitors at home when he received the call around 11 p.m. Lomorukai, a professional footballer, asked him to rush to Cherina Bar and Restaurant, the scene of the attack, located a few kilometers from Lodwar town.
When he arrived, Lavish said he stayed inside his vehicle and watched as his brother was beaten to the ground by several men, whom he later identified as supporters of the MP.
Instead of going to the police right away, Lavish said he drove his injured brother to a hospital in Lodwar for treatment and later took him home to recover.
He testified that his brother had gone to the bar to play pool with two friends before an argument broke out, leading to the assault.
MP John Ariko and seven others: Peter Lokutuni, David Nangiro, Jemostar Akooyen, Bornfestus Nabuin, Joseph Ekitela, Sammy Ekitelem, and James Abel, have denied the assault charges and were released on a KSh150,000 cash bail each.
The prosecution has lined up more than 20 witnesses to testify against the accused, with the next hearing set for December 10 and 11.
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