My wife ‘died from fall in fight over volume of radio’

Moses Dola (right) with his lawyer Cliff Ombeta in the corridors of Milimani courts yesterday. [George Njunge, Standard]

Former journalist Moses Dola Otieno yesterday claimed that his wife Wambui Kabiru died after hitting her head on a bed.

Dola yesterday told the court that a quarrel over music volume left his wife and former NTV reporter dead.

In an emotional blow-by-blow account, the former Nation journalist narrated the events of May 1, 2011.

Dola explained, that on the material day, he woke up at 7.30am, headed to the sitting room and started playing some gospel music which beamed in all rooms.

He then went back to the bedroom where Wambui was sleeping and she allegedly questioned why he put loud music while she and their son were asleep.

“That was where the problem began. Wambui had a problem with the music and she said in Kiswahili ‘Wewe ukiamka kwa hii nyumba kwani kila mtu lazima aamke (If you wake up in this house, is it a must that every one else wakes up?),” Dola narrated.

He said Wambui then went to the sitting room, unplugged the music system and came back to the bed room.

“I felt a little bit irritated. I went back and restarted the music and reduced the volume further,” he said.

According to Dola, Wambui was using a metallic pair of scissors to trim the edges of her dreadlocks when he returned to the bedroom.

The two quarreled, and Dola decided to take their son, who had just woken up, away.

Dola testified that Wambui then went after him with the pair of scissors.

“Just as I was picking our son, she shot up and charged at me. She asked where I wanted to take her baby. In her charging she was holding that metallic scissors. It was a split second event. Unfortunately it pricked my hand but I managed to squeeze her hand and she released it,” Dola testified while showing his palm to show where he got stabbed.

The judge was told that Wambui reached for the scissors but Dola tackled her, and they both fell on the bed.

He testified: “She hit her head on the bed, but because we fell on the mattress I did not realise that she was injured.”

According to Dola, his wife’s last words were “ona umeniumiza” (see you have hurt me).

He then took their son for breakfast and left her in bed.

According to Dola, he went to his brother in law’s house in a bid to seek a truce with his wife. After that both Wambui’s brother and Dola went to drink.

He testified that he was to take his bother in law to a baby shower later in the evening and thus they parted ways and he headed back to the house to freshen up.

When he got to the house, the court heard, Wambui was still lying in bed and  did not respond when he called her name.