Rashid Charo, bodyguard attached to the Principal Secretary (PS) for Youth Affairs Fikirini Jacobs, has been released on a personal bond of Sh20,000 after state investigators found no immediate evidence directly linking him to a criminal charge of murder following the fatal shooting of youth mobilizer Cecil Ouma on June 30.

Charo was arrested last week and subsequently arraigned before a Nairobi court on July 2 under accusations of shooting Cecil inside the Principal Secretary’s official government vehicle.

During a highly anticipated court session on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, however, the officer’s defense counsel, Danstan Omari, confirmed that the prosecution formally notified the court that initial investigations had been concluded without uncovering sufficient criminal culpability to charge the bodyguard with murder.

Following a mutual agreement between the state prosecution and the defense team, the magistrate approved the officer’s release on personal bond, allowing him to officially resume his state protection duties as the legal matter unfolds.

Inquest

With the withdrawal of immediate criminal charges against the bodyguard, the court subsequently directed that the case proceed through a formal judicial inquest.

This legal mechanism will comprehensively examine the exact circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting, allowing eyewitnesses, forensic experts, and key figures to testify under oath before a definitive judicial determination is made regarding liability.

Defending the boss

Detailing the chaotic moments that culminated in the fatal shooting, defense attorney Danstan Omari strongly maintained that the elite bodyguard acted fully within the law to protect the life of the Principal Secretary during an aggressive confrontation.

According to Omari, the incident unfolded shortly after a youth engagement forum in Nairobi, when Cecil allegedly forced his way into the back seat of the PS’s official car.

Omari claimed the close protection officer repeatedly ordered the mobilizer to exit the vehicle, but he adamantly refused.

“The deceased forced his way into the PS’s vehicle after the Nairobi event. A bodyguard’s primary duty is to protect the principal secretary. That is why he is assigned to him. His responsibilities include using his body and the equipment issued to him by the state, including his firearm, to protect the PS. Had anything happened to Fikirini, the consequences would have been far-reaching,” Omari said.

The defense attorney further alleged that the situation escalated into a life-threatening assault when Cecil reportedly attacked the Principal Secretary directly by grabbing his clothes and attempting to strangle him inside the stationary vehicle.

“The bodyguard exercised restraint after seeing the deceased allegedly attack the principal secretary inside his official vehicle. The PS’s shirt was grabbed and his throat was held. It was a highly provocative situation,” he claimed.

Homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are expected to present their detailed ballistic, vehicular, and post-mortem findings during the upcoming public inquest to definitively piece together how the youth mobilizer was killed.