Is this man Wanjiru’s father?

By Edwin Cheserek

A man who claims to be the biological father of the late marathon wonder boy and Olympic champion Samuel Wanjiru has finally emerged.

Mr Elijah Chebon, 50, says he fathered the fallen marathoner after befriending his mother Ann Wanjiru 26 years ago in Nanyuki town.

Chebon, who works at the Ministry of Local Government in Kabarnet town, says he separated with Wanjiru’s mother when he was transferred from Nanyuki to Isiolo town. "At the time we met, Ann was living at William Hood Conservancy within Nanyuki town," recalled Chebon.

The late marathon wonder boy and Olympic champion Samuel Wanjiru

On Tuesday, Peter Kimani Kirihinya, 65, of Kiambaa told journalists he was the athlete’s stepfather.

Estranged wife

Wanjiru’s mother, who moved to court in Nakuru Thursday and obtained an injunction to stop his burial for two weeks, dismissed Kirihinya also known as Kimani wa Nelly at his Ihiga village, as false.

Kirihinya had, however, said he would not contest any decision, especially by the woman he claimed to be his estranged wife, Wanjiru’s mother, over the athlete’s final resting place.

"I will want to bury my son next to where I buried his younger brother Njenga. But I would not want to place any objection to where his mother feels the body should be buried. The boy is no more, and there is no need squabbling over who or where he is buried, but granted a chance I would want to take the responsibility," said Kirihinya.

A new twist in Wanjiru’s death emerged on Tuesday, after his mother claimed her son might have been murdered.

Hannah Wanjiru alleged her son was killed in his bedroom before his body was dropped from the balcony to conceal evidence, dismissing the version given by his widow, Teresia Njeri that he fell and injured himself after jumping from the balcony in a drunken stupor.

But in an interview with The Standard on Tuesday, Njeri revealed she was at their Muthaiga residence in Nyahururu that fateful day waiting for her husband, and only left some time after 5pm for supper at a friend’s house. She went to the friend’s house after Wanjiru, whom she was expecting from Nakuru, called and said he would be late.

She said her husband was to pick her up from the friend’s house, but when he failed to do so by 10pm, she called their driver who dropped her home, not knowing her husband had arrived.

Njeri said she took some medicine and then went to the bedroom, only to find Wanjiru in their bed with a woman who claimed to be the late athlete’s wife. They quarrelled and Njeri opted to take the bedroom keys and lock them in before hurrying out to call the police.

Bloodstains in bedroom

Wanjiru’s mother Hannah Wanjiru alleged at a press conference at her house that there were bloodstains in her son’s bedroom, indicating he was killed there and his body dumped on the floor.

"I wonder why the police and the widow are giving false statements concerning my son’s death. I believe that my son did not commit suicide nor did he fall accidentally. He was killed," Wanjiru’s mother, claimed.

"Why did they wash the bloodstains in his bedroom if the killing was not done there? Where was the blood from?" she posed.

She claimed a blunt object might have been used to hit him on the back of his head where he had injuries.

So far, three women have claimed to have been either engaged or married to Wanjiru.

On which of the three women was recognised by her family, Ann said it was Mary Wacera who had legally been married by the athlete as he had even paid her dowry.

Introducing her to the Press, she said it was Wacera who had been taking care of her and she was the one every family member knew.

"As a family, we know of Wacera who has been taking care of me all the time. Njeri was just a girlfriend," she noted.

On Monday, another woman in Nakuru, Judy Wambui claimed she was carrying Wanjiru’s five-month pregnancy and that they had been friends for five years.

Speaking while standing next to Wanjiru’s mother, Wacera, who has a nine-month old baby, said that they had lived with the athlete since 2009.

Wacera, a policewoman, said they had lived together as husband and wife and he had even paid her dowry.