By ISAIAH LUCHELI

A motorist plying Waiyaki Way at around 2.30am saw the legs of a person underneath a vehicle ahead of her, an inquest into the death of university student Mercy Keino was told.

Licinna Muriuki, the ninth witness in the on-going inquiry, explained she received a phone call from a friend at the Jacaranda Hotel, left her house, and headed to the venue.

It was while she was on her way there that she saw the legs of a person underneath the car. She added she did not pay much attention to the car.

But as she was nearing a turn off heading towards Jacaranda, the vehicle she had passed came speeding and overtook hers with hazard lights on.

“When the vehicle overtook at high speed heading towards Westlands roundabout, I found it a bit odd and decided to note its registration number on my cell phone. It was a KBM 400H dark Mercedes Benz,” she told the court.

When asked by assistant deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Moses O’mirera what action she took, Muriuki explained she went to Parklands Police Station where she reported the matter.

Police officers did not record her statement in the Occurrence Book (OB), but instead took her mobile phone number.

“I knew being a good citizen it was necessary that I report the matter to the police. That is why I went to the Parklands Police Station. I was informed that police had collected a body from the scene, but they did not record my report in the OB. I left my number with a corporal Karim,” she said.

She explained a few days later she received a call from the District Criminal Investigation Officer, a Mr Maingi, who informed her she was expected to record a statement on the incident.

On cross-examination by lawyer Cliff Ombeta, Muriuki explained she had recorded a statement twice with the police with one lasting about 15 minutes, while the other being over six hours at the CID offices.

Two employees on duty at the Wasini Luxury Apartments on the material day, Veronica Kithome and Pauline Olwando, explained the deceased got drunk and broke glasses and beer bottles. They corroborated reports that the girls were visitors of Juja MP William Kabogo.