Court orders arrest of landlord sought to testify in murder trial

The High Court in Eldoret has issued a warrant of arrest against a landlord in whose house a 36-year-old woman is said to have stabbed her husband to death.

Justice Reuben Nyakundi directed police officers from Langas Police Station to arrest Charles Kariuki after he defied summons to give his testimony.

Winnie Wangari Maina, who is out on bond, is accused of killing Wycliffe Miriti in Elgon View Estate on the night of August 21, last year, after returning home from a club.

The deceased was a senior logistics officer at an international beverage company based in Eldoret.

When the case came up for hearing, State counsel Mark Mugun blamed the landlord for the delay of the case.

"The landlord, one Charles Kariuki, has been a cause of extreme frustration in this matter. He has quite a big ego and believes that a judge's time is for him to waste. Despite several summonses for him to appear in court, he has been basking and going about his business. I ask this court to issue a warrant for his arrest," said Mugun.

A G4S guard narrated how he drove to the couple's home after an alarm was raised by the landlord.

Geoffrey Rono told Justice Nyakundi that from the information gathered at the couple's house, the two arrived from a local pub at 4.30am before a fight erupted.

"When we arrived at the couple's house, we met on the way a speeding car heading in the opposite direction, which we later learned was being driven by the accused, who was rushing her husband to the hospital," he said.

Scene of crime

He told the court that they followed the car and found it parked at a private hospital in Eldoret.

Rono recalled helping the accused to put the deceased on a wheelchair before they were referred to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.

"The doctors at the private hospital confirmed to me that the deceased, who we thought was unconscious, was dead. They asked me to keep the information from the accused, as they feared she could escape. They referred us to MTRH since their facility did not have a mortuary," Rono testified.

Corporal Mercy Kathure, the investigation officer, said she recorded a statement from a security officer who had broken into the couple's house and found the accused on her husband with a knife, which is an exhibit.

The case will be mentioned on November 21.