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Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa’s former bodyguard Geoffrey Okuto is now seeking the withdrawal of murder charges being levelled against him.

Through defence counsel Danstan Omari and Jared Magolo, Okuto, who was charged afresh over the murder of an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) supporter, has written to the Director  of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for review of the charges.

 Okuto (pictured), who had been charged alongside Jumwa two years ago for the murder of Michael Ngumbao, is now seeking a review of the murder charges to manslaughter.

The DPP through State Counsel Bernard Ngiri, however, told the court that the prosecution had lined up 25 witnesses to continue with the case and requested the court to set a hearing date.

“I have talked to the officer investigating the case and he has indicated he has listed 25 witnesses,” he said.

“We can take a hearing date. However, in case of  new developments, we will inform the court,” said Ngiri.  It has further emerged that prosecution witnesses, who are set to testify against Okuto, have declined to do so following the withdrawal of the charges against Jumwa.

Ngiri told the court that the witnesses had declined to testify against Okuto claiming that the main suspect in the murder case had been set free. So far, only three witnesses have testified in the case. The case will be heard from October 17.