Kenya: Wanjiru’s Mother to Face Assault Charges

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

Wanjohi Gakio

6 June 2011

The mother to the late Olympic Marathon Champion Samuel Kamau Wanjiru will appear before a Nyahururu court today to answer assault charges.

Hannah Wanjiru was arrested on Saturday afternoon in Nyandarua West when she stormed into a grave-marking ceremony and caused chaos which left scores of people injured.

Wanjiru came armed with a panga as her father Samuel Kamau Njoroge was showing the burial committee where the body of the athlete would be buried at Gatimu village.

Nyandarua deputy OCPD Jacob Kanake said Wanjiru will be charged with assault and creating disturbance in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace. “Other charges and the number of counts that will be preferred against her will depend on the number of people who will lodge complaints against her,” he said Wanjiru picked up a quarrel with the reporters who were recording.

She threw a stone at them before she tripped and fell. She then drew a panga from her handbag and wielded it while creaming forcing the group to scamper for safety. Fuming with rage, the athlete’s mother then hit Paul Wanjohi, brother to the athletes widow Trizah Njeri.

Wanjohi was restraining Wanjiru from hacking the athlete’s grandfather whom she accused of meddling in her affairs and trying to bury her son by force, even before his cause of death could be established. Wanjiru then turned against Njeri relatives leaving several of them injured. Njeri An unidentified man who accompanied Wanjiru tried to protect her from the crowd.

Police, led by Nyandarua deputy OCPD Jacob Kanake came in to stop the now irate group. Wanjiru was arrested and taken to Oljoro Orok police station. The panga was taken as an exhibit. Njeri and other relatives recorded a statement at the police station.

Wanjohi sustained serious head injuries and was rushed to Charity Medical Clinic where he is recuperating. Wanjiru was later released on free bond.

Wanjiru had not been attending funeral committee meetings since the committee was reconstitutted after the High Court in Nakuru lifted an order barring the burial of the athlete before the cause of death could be established. According to Wanjiru’s uncle Gichuhi Kamau, it had been agreed that the funeral would take place on Saturday June 11.

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