Kabogo refutes Keino assault allegations

By Isaiah Lucheli

KENYA: Kiambu Governor William Kabogo took to the dock in an inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of a university student.

The governor gave his account of the events in less than 30 minutes despite having been adversely mentioned by witnesses in connection with the death of university student Mercy Keino.

Though Kabogo in his testimony claimed he had gone to Wasini for a meeting and he did not know the girls and was not aware of any party, a friend of the deceased had told the court that they had been invited to a birthday party and had been informed that Kabogo would be present.

The friend had testified that a Mr Jorum, who was organising the party, had contacted the girls and informed them that Kabogo would attend the function.

When the governor appeared in court yesterday, he denied having beaten the girl and explained that he had held her by the shoulder and shook her before tapping her on the face.

Drunk lady

“It is not true that I assaulted her. The witness who said that I assaulted the girl must have been tipped to say that. It is outrageous. I see politics in this. I would have no reason to manhandle a drunk lady,” said the governor when pressed by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Moses O’Mirera.

Kabogo explained that when Mercy returned to the apartment to look for her cousin, she became violent and started breaking picture frames and other items, prompting him to hold her by the shoulders and tap her on the forehead.

The governor told the court that there were three girls in the room before Mercy came in drunk and disorderly and added that after the incident, she was taken out of the apartment and he did not see her again.

He explained that he left Wasini at around 2am and cleared his bill while in the car, but dozed off while waiting for his balance only to wake up in the house.

Mercy’s friends and employees of Wasini who testified had narrated how Kabogo had slapped her when she became drunk and disorderly.

30 witnesses

Over 30 witnesses have already testified including Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor,  who said there was a possibility that the student’s body was dumped on the road when she was already dead.

However, Oduor explained that failure by pathologists to visit the scene of the accident posed challenges in establishing the real cause of Keino’s death.

A police officer who was the first to arrive at the scene, Thomas Obogi, also told the court that when he reached the scene he got the impression that a fatal accident had occurred and further investigations revealed that there was no foul play in the death of the university student.

The inquest continues on December 4 and 5.