Court told ‘murdered’ woman alive

By Willis Oketch

A man has been charged with murdering his wife and daughter who are alive, a court was told.

A Mombasa lawyer, Edward Gichana, raised the alarm after Henry Onyango informed him that his wife Margaret Akinyi and daughter, who he was accused of murdering, were alive.

"Onyango’s wife has already reported at Changamwe Police Station that she was alive with the baby," said Gichana.

Following the revelation, Gichana has written to the Attorney General demanding unconditional release of his client.

"I want the State to release my client who is being detained at Shimo La Tewa Prison over a non-existent murder," said Gichana.

Onyango, who hails from Gem District, was arrested last year after it was claimed he had murdered his wife and daughter.

Come for hearing

The suspect, who was brought to court yesterday, however, denied the charges before Lady Justice Maurine Odero who ordered him to come for the hearing on June 22.

Her aunt, Mrs Alice Atonga, confirmed that the woman and the child in question were alive.

She said before the charge was levelled against the man, the couple quarrelled over a domestic problem.

Mrs Atonga said after the quarrel, the man went to work but on coming back in the evening he found the wife had gone missing.

The aunt said after three days, his mother-in-law went to the police station and pointed an accusing finger at the son-in-law.

The police then arrested Onyango and arraigned him in court.

Following the arrest, Mrs Atonga said Onyango was taken for plea on March 16, but the matter did not proceed, as there was no judge.

She said during Onyango’s first appearance, the wife and the mother-in-law were in the court.

Gichana expressed surprise that despite these facts within the knowledge of the State, Onyango was forced to take plea.

He complained that this was a serious human right violation because the man has been at Shimo La Tewa for a non-existent offence.

The charge sheet, signed by Assistant Deputy Public Prosecutor, JN Ondari, states that between November 26 and 29, last year, at an unknown place in Mombasa, Henry Onyango murdered Margaret Akinyi Onyango and Rodah Anyanje Atieno.