Court finds Buru Buru man guilty of murder

Erastus Ngura Odhiambo alias Baba Billy at the Milimani Law Courts during the hearing of his bail application.Odhiambo is facing charges of the murder of his wife Linda Wanjiku Irungu on the night of December 11th and 12th 2014 at Waihura Court, Buruburu Phase five .[PHOTO.FIDELIS KABUNYI]

A man who pulled his wife out of a car and shot her dead has been found guilty of murder.

A Nairobi court yesterday ruled that Erastus Ngura Odhiambo killed Linda Wanjiku Irungu, a 27-year-old lawyer, in December 2014. The crime was committed at Waihura Court in Buru Buru Phase 5 estate, Nairobi.

The two had known each other for three years.

High Court judge Stella Mutuku ruled that the prosecution had presented credible, consistent and well corroborated evidence against Mr Odhiambo alias Baba Billy.

“I have with great care considered all evidence from defence and prosecution, and I find all the ingredients of murder proved beyond reasonable doubt. I find the accused guilty of the offence of murder as charged and convict him accordingly,” she ruled.

At the time of her death, Ms Wanjiku was living with her sister, Diana Irungu, who testified in court. Also testifying were the couple's child and two house helps.

The court heard that the accused had gone looking for Wanjiku on the night she was killed and found her inside her car preparing to drive out of Waihura Court.

Blocked car

Odhiambo then blocked the car, moved to the driver’s side and pulled Wanjiku out, leaving the vehicle to roll on towards the gate.

A quarrel ensued between the two during which Odhiambo is reported to have assaulted Wanjiku before shooting her.

In her ruling, the judge noted that the accused did not plead provocation or intoxication in his defence.

Fourteen witnesses testified before the court established that the accused had a case to answer and placed him on his defence.

The judge said it was not denied that the same gun recovered from the accused was fired in the early morning or course of the night Wanjiku was killed.

During the trial, Odhiambo's marriage to Wanjku was disputed.

The prosecution had told the court that Odhiambo and Wanjiku were married and had a child; Odhiambo said he had paid some dowry. But Wanjiku's family maintained the two were just friends.

Odhiambo faced multiple charges of altering a civilian firearm licence and being found in possession of the firearm used in the murder.

He will be sentenced next Tuesday.