Woman sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing husband

Janet Karamana Gituma a 50-year-old mother of two, was yesterday, Tuesday 27th of August, 2013, sentenced to thirty years behind bars for the murder of her husband who was a senior manager at the Central Bank of Kenya.

High Court Judge, Justice Nicholas Ombija convicted the business lady alongside her five-co accused for the murder of  Moses Mbaabu Gituma at his Garden Estate residence in the outskirts of Nairobi on October 23, 2009.

The co-accused,  security guard Evans Obangi Otwori, casual labourers Clement Munyao and Andrew Muuo Kimomo and matatu touts Muthii Mati and Peter Kibe also received the same sentence.

However, another co-accused, Clement Munyao Katiku was set free for luck of evidence.

A postmortem report presented before the court during the trials, showed that the deceased died of multiple internal injuries he sustained after five men attacked him at his residence with machetes and other unidentified crude weapons.

The report indicated that he also suffered mouth, face and head injuries. The deceased was admitted to hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

Describing the accused during the judgement, Justice Ombija referred to the her as ‘a schemer per excellence’ who had made her mind to murder her husband together with her co-accused in cold blood.

The prosecution on the other hand, led by counsel Daniel Karuri stated how the accused plotted to kill Mr. Gatimu. “She intentionally left her car at the salon and drove into Garden Estate accompanied by her co-plotters in a car bearing a fake registration number KBH 657J,” prosecution counsel Daniel Karuri told the court.

According to the evidence availed to the court, the second accused Evans Otwori, a security officer, was linked to the murder for making contradictory information in the visitor's logbook at the deceased home in Garden Estate.

Court documents indicated that the car used by Mr. Gatimu's killers entered his compound at 8:17pm and left at 8:15pm. Justice Ombija said the contradiction in the time which the car came in and left was suspicious. “The car could not leave before entering. The accused failed to offer to the court a satisfactory explanation for this inconsistency. The court can only conclude that it was meant to cover up the crime” he noted. He also noted many coincidences in Otwori's evidence. “There are too many coincidences that give credence to a conspiracy between Janet and Evans,” the judge concluded.
According to one of the prosecution's witnesses, a house-help at the deceased home, the wife had a good rapport with the killers.

Lawyer John Sakwa who represented the accused, argued that the two had a peaceful marriage and would not have plotted her husband's murder.

MPs angry at public attacks on Police, seeks stiff penalties

The parliamentary committee on Administration and National Security led by chairman Asman Kamama, now wants very stiff penalties for those attacking police officers.

The chairman said the public should not at any given point attack police officers even if they broke the law.

“Any Kenyan who feels aggrieved by the police should complain to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority,” Kamama said.

Mr. Kamama was addressing the press after meeting Samuel Matano, the chairman of Kenya Private Sector Alliance Security Committee.

Meanwhile, the committee called for an overhaul of the curriculum used too train police officers in a bid to curb intimidation.

“We will be asking those tasked with developing a curriculum to create one to train officers to be public-friendly so that they can serve them better and not to intimidate them,” Mr Kamama said.

James Oswago, IEBC's CEO, claims he cannot travel freely in his Nyanza home thanks to Raila Odinga's goons

Mr.James Oswago, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chief Executive Officer. He claims that he cannot move freely in his Nyanza village because Raila Odinga's goon are waiting for him.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Mr. James Oswago has revealed that he no longer move freely in his Uyoma village in Nyanza especially after the Match 4 general elections because, according to reports published in the Kenyan daily post, Luos are still angry at him for what they believe was rigging of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's victory in favor of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

According to the report, Mr. Oswago said he has no friends in his rural home since a good number of them believe he was behind the stealing of Odinga's win. He is also quoted as saying that the locals now want to 'repay him in the most inhuman manner'.

Nonetheless, Mr. Oswago dismisses the notion that he rigged out former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

On the other hand, the report quotes Mr. Oswago as swearing to never apply for any post with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission upon the expiry of his term inn a bid to regain his life and freedom which was taken by the Match 4 general elections.

Polyandry in the offing as two men in Mombasa sign deal to share 'wife'

Mr. Sylvester Mwendwa, one of the 'husbands' who signed an agreement to share a woman in Kisauni, Mombasa County.

Two men in Kisauni, Mombasa County have shocked many after they agreed and signed a written deal to share a woman.

This is after they discovered they were both interested in the woman and have actually been having an affair with her but none of them was willing to let go off her.

In the agreement, they vowed to never fight over her but instead came up with a schedule on how they will have their conjugal rights met.

The push to reach an agreement was fueled by the woman herself who equally said she  wasn't ready to live without either of the men.

According to one of the 'husbands', Mr. Sylvester Mwenda, he visited the woman's parents and given the go ahead to live with her and agreed to pay the dowry. He was however quick to point out that he'd rather share her with the other 'husband', Elijah Kimani, than living without her.

When reached for comment, Mr. Adhalah Abdulrahman a community policing officer said, “I heard people fighting and went to check, but I was surprised to see two men fighting over a woman who is said to be a widow and a mother of twins. I tried solving the issue but they refused, each insisting he could not live without the woman.”

 “I talked to both of them and they claim they love her equally and cannot live without her. I asked the woman to choose but she refused, saying ‘I cannot lose either of them, I love them both’”, added Mr Abdulrahman.

The men later came to Mr. Abdulrahman's office with a written document clearly stating that they had reached a conclusion of living with the woman, who requested for anonymity, in shifts and pledged respect for one another.

“We discussed everything and they agreed that even if the woman gives birth they will raise the child as their own since they have been taking care of the woman’s children together and paying her rent equally,” revealed Mr. Abdulrahman.

However, the proposed marriage bill has no room for polyandry, a case of one woman living with two men.

BREAKING NEWS: Court nullifies Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga's election

The Siaya County Governor Cornel Rasanga has become the first Governor to lose his seat after a  Kisumu High Court on Friday 23rd August, 2013 nullified his election citing electoral malpractices.

During the ruling, Justice Aggrey Muchelule said that the election of Rasanga was fraudulent and ordered a new election.

The petition challenging Rasanga's election was filed by Mr. William Oduol who was also contesting the Siaya County Governorship.

In the petition, Oduol alleged that there were enormous ballot stuffing during the March 4th general election for the Siaya governorship contest.


 More to follow.....

Validity of Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho's degree challenged in court

Mr Silas Otuke, a former chairman of the Kenya Students Council in Uganda, at the Kampala University has moved to court to challenge the validity of Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho's Business Administration degree.

In a case Mr. Otuke filed in a Mombasa High Court through his lawyer Gikandi Ngibuini, he asked the court to call for fresh elections because, according to him, the Mombasa Governor and his deputy are in office illegally.

He alleges that by the time the two were nominated to contest the Governorship of Mombasa county, they were not holders of valid degree from recognized universities as required by the law.

“By 31 January 2013, Hon Joho was not a holder of any degree from a recognized university. Under Section 22 of the Election Act, for one to qualify to contest, one has to be have a university degree,” Mr Ngibuini said.

In Mr. Otuke's affidavit, he observes that Hassan Joho was not a student at the University in the year 2011 when he was heading the Kenyan students' community. He further claims that former Bumula MP Bifwoli Wakoli was the only prominent Kenyan student at the university during his reign.

Mr Otuke, now the executive director of an NGO, Youth Leadership for Democratic Governance said, “I would have known, as he was then not only the Kisauni MP, but also Transport assistant minister,” 

Lady Justice Mary Kasango certified the matter as urgent and ordered Mr. Otuke to serve the respondents. that is, Attorney-General, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Mr Joho and Ms Ogunde. 

The case will be mentioned on September 2.

The Judiciary Chief Registar sent home for two weeks to pave way for investigations

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) chaired by Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and attended by nine members, voted on Monday 19th August, 2013 to uphold an earlier resolution by a section of the JSC to send Gladys Boss Sholei, the Judiciary Chief Registrar on compulsory leave in order to allow investigations into her alleged malpractices.

“Five of the nine commissioners voted in favor of asking the Chief Registrar to take compulsory leave during the 15 days when the investigations will be in process. Four commissioners voted against this decision,” announced Dr Mutunga at the Supreme Court after a marathon session.

The Chief justice added that two committees of the Judicial Service commission, Human Resource Management and Finance and Administration, will lead investigations into the alleged malpractices which touches on employment, administration,corporate governance of the Judiciary and finance.

justice Isaac Lenaola and lawyer Ahmednassir were named to steer the investigations.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Registrar Kaikai Kissinger, will temporarily run the Judiciary.

But Gladys Sholei emerged a few minutes later after the JSC  decision and addressed the media terming the move as one pushed by cartels who are against the reforms she is implementing in the Judiciary.

“There is no statutory or regulatory provision for sending the Chief Registrar on compulsory leave. I understand that the decision was not unanimous (5-4). Some commissioners including the Attorney General and Justice Isaac Lenaola were absent,” she said.

 “I can guess those commissioners who supported the resolution and their reasons. But that is for another day.  There is no financial impropriety or irregularities in the procurement processes at the Judiciary. In fact since I took office I can tell Kenyans that the Judiciary is the only government institution that has not had an appeal against any of its procurement decisions at the Public Procurement Appeals Tribunal,” she added.

She promised to contest the JSC decision of sending her home on compulsory leave.

 

No more boda boda at the CBD, orders Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero

The Nairobi County Government has firmly stood by its earlier decision of banning boda bodas from accessing the CBD.

The riders have since fiercely opposed the move to bar them from picking and dropping passengers at the Nairobi Central Business District, engaging the council askaris in running battles.

According to the motorcycle operators, they are entitled to operate at the CBD.

The Inspectorate Department through its council askaris arrested more than 17 boda boda operators earlier this month and sized their motorbikes after they engaged in cut-and-mouse games. The operators were later charged and fined Sh. 2,000 each.

The inspectorate Department still insists the CBD is out of bounds for the boda boda operators.

“They have to go out of the CBD. Those who defy will not be tolerated,” Hillary Wambugu, the director of Inspectorate Department, said.

Some of the operators have since chosen to heed to the directive choosing to operate from outside the CBD. However, others have remained defiant of the directive, using all means possible to still operate within the Nairobi Central Business District. 

BREAKING NEWS: Kalembe wins petition, court orders a fresh election in Kibwezi West Consituency

The Kibwezi West Member of Parliament Patrick Musimba has become the latest casualty of election petitions after the High Court sitting in Machakos nullified his election into the eleventh parliament on Thursday 15th of August, 2013.

The High Court had ordered a vote recount which showed that former area MP Kalembe Ndile won the 4th March election.

According to Kalembe, the ruling is unfair since he expected to be announced the new Member of Parliament for Kibwezi West Constituency.


Mr. Patrick Musimba who lost the case.

More to follow....


 

Rape cases on the rise as mother and daughter are raped at gunpoint in Kayole

The rape cases seems to be on the rise with the recent case involving a 42-year-old mother who was gang raped at gun point together with her 22-years-old daughter.

The sad and bizarre attack took place Tuesday night at their house in Kayole after the gangsters had robbed them at gunpoint of their valuables which included four mobile phones and Kshs. 3000.

According to police, the gang forced their way into the house after cutting the doors of the victims' house. The report further says that the victims were forced to remain silent after the gangsters threatened to kill them.

According to Benson Kibui, Nairobi County Police Commander, the victims had moved to the house in just less than one month ago.

“It seems the gang had been monitoring them before they struck. We will get them,” said Kibui.

He also said that the police have launched a man hunt for the attackers.

The victims are admitted in one of the City hospitals where they are undergoing treatment.

Wedding halted as bride-to-be is shot dead in Nairobi ahead of Saturday's big event

A wedding set for Saturday 17th August, 2013 was cut short Monday afternoon after gunmen confronted the couple accompanied by a brother-in-law and short dead the bride-to-be and seriously injured the brother-in-law who later succumbed and passed on at the Kenyatta National Hospital.

The tragic incident took place at a shop in the Nairobi Central Business District a long Kaunda street where Mr. Newton Nyaoke had gone to buy wedding rings in the company of his bride-to-be Beatrice Nyaoke, a mother of four,  and a brother Ayub Nyaoke.   

According to Mr. Newton Nyaoke, the husband, they had already bough the rings when three gunmen entered the shop, Maru Italian Shoes shop, and ordered them to raise their hands before shooting the bride and his brother Ayub. The ride died on the spot.

“We heed before one of the gunmen shot Beatrice and my brother at close range sparing me,” said Mr. Newton Nyaoke, a guard with KK security.

The gunmen later escaped without stealing anything from the shop and the victims.

“The gangsters left without stealing anything from us or from the shop immediately after the shooting," Mr. Newton confirmed.

The brother-in-law, Ayub Nyaoke, who happens to be  a policeman based in Narok was rushed to KNH after sustaining serious head injuries where he succumbed and passed on at around 12:30am.

The couple had been married for 13 years.

According to Patrick Oduma, Central division police commander,  they will treat the incident as murder. He said the killings seemed to have been planned and also added that they had launched a hunt for the gunmen.
"We think this is murder because the gang did not steal anything from the victims. They shot her and her brother in law before escaping,” said Oduma.

The shooting brought business along Kaunda street to a stand still as the public gathered in the scene to witness the incident.

 

Four dead, two rescued as an Ethiopian military plane crash lands in Mogadishu

Four people lost their lives on the spot on Friday 9th August when an Ethiopian military cargo plane crash landed at the Mogadishu International Airport and burst into flames.

Two of the six crew members were however rescued.

According to Somalia security officials at the site when the accident occurred, the aircraft was ferrying supplies to African Union Mission to Somali (Amisom).

"It was a military cargo plane and there were six crew on board," said one security official who pleaded for anonymity. "Four of them died and two were rescued," the official added.



Amisom through its twitter account, confirmed that the cause of the crash is yet to be established but investigations are underway.

“There has been no damage to the runway and operations at the airport are expected to resume shortly,” read part of the Amisom statement.

The two crew mebers who were rescued are undergoing treatment at the Amisom hospital in Mogadishu.

Ethiopian troops were sent to Somalia in the year 2011 to help in the fight against the Al-Shabaab Islamist insurgents.

Suspected serial killer arrested in Mombasa

The Kenya Police on Wednesday7th August, arrested the suspected serial killer who is believed to be behind the Kisumu killings.

The 25-years-old Harrison Okumu who is alleged to have been on the run following the killings, was arrested in Mombasa after his mobile phone signals were tracked to Sabasaba area. He was preparing to board a bus to Garrisa.

Accpording to Mombasa County CID boss Mr. Henry Ondiek, the suspect was arrested on Tuesday night at a hideout in Sabasaba.

“After calling several numbers provided by officers in Kisumu, we traced Mr Okumu to Sabasaba at midnight where he was arrested without resistance,” Mr Ondiek said.

The Kisumu DCIO Henry Ndobi also added that they worked together with their Mombasa counterparts in making the arrest.

“We have been monitoring the man’s movement for some time. When we realized he was in Mombasa, we alerted our officers who managed to arrest him,” he said.

The suspected serial killer Harrison Okumu, ran away from his Miguye home in Kisumu County after local residents exhumed human bodies which were buried in a shallow grave near his home last week.

The 25-year-old Okumu appeared before the Mombasa resident magistrate court on Wednesday whereby the police were ordered to hold the suspect for one week as they continue to make arrangements to transfer him to Kisumu where he will be charged.

However, Okumu had his own claims when he alleged that the Kondele OCS shot at him four times.

“Your honour, the OCS shot at me four times when I surrendered myself to the police station. He pulled out his pistol and fired four bullets but luckily he missed,” claimed the suspected serial killer.

Operations grounded after fire breaks out at the JKIA arrival terminal

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was this morning, of 7th august, 2013 closed indefinitely after a fire broke out at the arrival unit. The fire is said to have started at around 5am and paralyzed the take off as well the arrival of aircraft.

By the time of going to press, there were no departures and the flights that were expected to land at JKIA have been diverted to Kisumu International airport and the Moi International Airport in Mombasa.

President Uhuru Kenyatta visited the airport at 9am accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Ann Waiguru (Devolution), Joseph ole Lenku (Interior) and Michael Kamau (Transport).


According to the Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau, the fire started at the immigration area of the international arrivals and quickly spread to the custom area.



"JKIA's emergency security programme is now in full force and all responding agencies are on the ground to ensure that the situation is normalized as soon as possible. We have been able to evacuate everyone and no injuries have been reported," said Mr Kamau.
He also said that planes that wanted leave without passengers were cleared to take off.

The cause of the fire is yet to be established.

Inspector General of Police confirmed that there were no injuries suffered and that the fire had been contained by 9am.

This comes a day after thousands of passengers were stranded at the airport following cancellation of several flights after a pipeline supplying fuel to the airport malfunctioned.

Police imposter Joshua Waiganjo tells it all in a prison dossier yet to be released

Joshua Waingajo, the man who made news headlines last year when he was sensationally kicked out of the police force as an imposter has written a prison dossier which he claims will shock many. 

In an interview with journalists over the weekend at the Naivasha Maximum Prison where he is being held, Waingajo who served as a senior police officer for several years claims that his memoirs which are yet to be published will bring to light all the web of deceit involving the police force as well as politicians.

Waingajo is faced with multiple charges which includes robbery with violence, possession of police uniforms and impersonation of a police officer.

The former taxi driver alleges that powerful forces are behind his arrest in a bid to hide the truth from the public.

“Since my arrest, there have been many unanswered questions,” he claimed. “The previous Government misled everybody and denied me a chance to speak out, watu wasijue ukweli. They succeeded and that’s why I decided I have to write a book, covering everything. I decided to even sacrifice my life, for people to know the truth. At the time of my arrest, I was in charge of Kenya Police Reservist in Rift Valley heading more than 6,000 reservists. As far as I am concerned, I still hold this position for I have not received a letter of sacking,” said Waiganjo.

In addition, Waiganjo also promised to tell a story that nobody has ever heard regarding the Baragoi massacre.

“Some officers were involved, together with local leaders in Baragoi with stealing cows which they would transport through Baringo to Nakuru and share the proceeds. They were not happy with the operation,” Waingajo sensationally claimed.

Waingajo claims that this is what led to his arrest in December last year and, he says since then, he has been busy putting together his memoirs which will cover his life before and after his arrest.

For instance, in chapter six of his book whose working title is  Goodbye Police Comrades!, Waingajo tells how he was allegedly conscripted as a police reservist in the year 2000.

IEBC's Isaac Hassan flown out of the country for specialized heart treatment

 

The chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Isaac Hassan has been flown to Holland for specialized heart treatment after he was admitted at the Karen Hospital on Friday morning with heart complications.

The decision to fly the IEBC boss out of the country was reached after his condition failed to improve.

Mr. Hassan is expected to be taken to the ridge Hospital in Holland, a hospital in which the late former vice president Kijana Wamalwa was admitted with heart problems several years back.

The media has however been blocked form covering the ailing IEBC chairman for fear of blowing the issue out of proportion. This follows considerations that Mr. Hassan is still at the centre of investigations following the much contested March 4th general elections.  

Deputy President's official residence requires more than the estimated Sh100 million for repairs

 

The controversial issue of refurbishing the Deputy President William Ruto's official residence at Karen has come up again with more money required this time round for repairs, than the initial estimated Sh100 million.

However, the government has been forced to shelve this project for now following reports that all the companies, more than ten companies that is, which applied for the tender to do the refurbishment, quoted more than what the government had projected, Sh100 million.

The expected refurbishment on Ruto's residence include; carpeting the reception area leading to his office, fixing wooden floors at the sitting and bedrooms not forgetting the lounges, replacement of flush doors with mahogany doors, repairs on the 12-acre perimeter wall, installation of CCTV cameras around the compound and erecting electric fences.




This comes in the wake of Kenyans objecting even the initial proposal of using Sh100 million to repair the residence which is barely one year old.