Blow-by-blow account of how Janet Wangui was shot dead by officers inside her vehicle

On Saturday, May 20, 2018, Janet Wangui Waiyaki and her nephew were relaxing in their car at City Park in Nairobi at about 10.30 am when two police officers shot and killed her. High Court Judge Stella Mutuku, in an effort to uncover the mystery surrounding Janet's death, reconstructed the scene and the events that led to the tragic shooting, turning what would have been a memorable night out for Janet and her nephew Benard into a tragedy. Janet was George Gathima's second wife, who also happened to be Benard's uncle. George maintained two homes: one in Pangani for his first wife and another in Greenspan, located in Nairobi's Donholm Estate, where he resided with Janet and their three children. After hearing testimony from a total of 22 State witnesses, Justice Mutuku, on January 11, 2021, summarized that following a night of celebration, the deceased and her nephew, Bernard Chege Gathima, parked their vehicle, a Toyota Fielder with registration number KBX 615H, at City Park on the morning of May 20, 2018. The vehicle had heavily tinted windows, making it impossible for someone outside to see inside. This raised suspicion for Eustace Mureithi, a security guard employed by Nairobi City County, who was stationed in the area. The evidence revealed that this incident occurred during a time when the country was facing a threat of terrorism, prompting an alert to be issued to all security agencies. As a result, a special operation was conducted in Nairobi County, involving a combination of Administration and Regular Police Officers from various police stations. One group of officers, including the two accused individuals, William Chirchir and Godfrey Kirui, was deployed to the Westlands Area. Mureithi reported the suspicious motor vehicle to a group of police officers who were on patrol in the area. The officers approached the vehicle and instructed the occupants to open the door. However, instead of complying, the driver, Gathima, started driving away. The police opened fire, shooting at the vehicle and the individuals inside. The evidence presented also indicated that the deceased suffered fatal wounds and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. Gathima sustained gunshot wounds but managed to survive. Following the investigations, the two accused individuals were arrested and charged with the offence. On December 16, 2020, when the prosecution concluded their case, Justice Mutuku instructed the two accused to present their defence. Terrorism alert "After considering the evidence, I have found that the witnesses who were on duty with the accused individuals confirmed the occurrence of the shooting. Some stated that the shooting was intended to prevent the vehicle from fleeing, while others claimed that they acted in self-defense due to the nature of their operation and the existing terrorism alert, as well as the suspicious behaviour of the vehicle. It is evident to me that the deceased lost her life as a result of this shooting," she ruled. According to the accounts presented in court, Janet was eager for a night out on the day her husband travelled to Murang'a to attend a friend's funeral. On that night, May 19, 2018, Bernard went to his aunt Janet's home in Greenspan, and they drove back to the city centre for a night out. He testified that after picking up his aunt from her home, they went to Pangani shopping center and spent the night chewing khat (miraa) inside the car. At dawn on May 20, 2018, the exhausted duo departed from Pangani and headed to Viewpoint along Naivasha Road to capture photographs and enjoy the sunrise. "We spent some time taking photographs of the sunrise at Viewpoint and then left. The plan was to take her back home since she was tired after the night out, but she said she didn't want to go home and suggested we rest at City Park," Bernard testified in court. Upon reaching City Park, he stated that his aunt wanted to sleep, so she moved from the front seat to the back seat, while he remained in the driver's seat and dozed off. Bernard later awoke to a sudden banging on the car. As he looked around, he noticed guns pointed at them. He panicked and, driven by fear, started the car but didn't get far before bullets began to spray towards them. He was rushed to the hospital and survived the gunshot wounds, but his aunt was not as fortunate. Janet passed away 15 minutes later while en route to the hospital. The ensuing investigations yielded conflicting reports. One claim suggested that Janet and Bernard were suspected terrorists, and two police officers on patrol had to shoot after they refused to open the car doors and attempted to escape. Investigators also theorized that Bernard, who was 27 years old at the time, was involved in a sexual affair with his 41-year-old aunt. Ruling Taking all these factors into consideration, Justice Mutuku ultimately found Chirchir and Kirui guilty of Janet's murder. On May 27, 2021, she sentenced each of them to seven years in prison. Police Officers William Chirchir (left), and Geoffrey Kirui leave Milimani court after mitigation before Lady Justice Stella Mutuku on Thursday 13, May 2021 after they were convicted of manslaughter. [Collins Kweyu, Standard] Meanwhile, Janet's husband, George, testified that he spent the night at his other home and upon visiting Greenspan in the morning, he discovered Janet was not there. He testified that at 11 am his cousin called him to inquire whether he had heard about the incident involving his wife's shooting. Shortly after, he received another call from his sister-in-law informing him of his wife's death. George struggled to hold back tears in court when he was questioned about his awareness of his wife's 16-year-long affair with his nephew. "I cannot determine the extent of the relationship between my nephew and my wife. I cared deeply for my wife, which is why I was searching for her when I couldn't find her at home and she didn't answer her phone. I only discovered that she was with Bernard after the incident," he stated. Regarding the two police officers, they claimed that their actions were based on intelligence reports indicating a potential terrorist threat in Nairobi. Their defence revolved around the fact that Janet and Bernard had refused to open the car doors. "I am inclined to give the officers the benefit of the doubt regarding their intent not to kill the deceased," Mutuku said.

Blow-by-blow account of how Janet Wangui was shot dead by officers inside her vehicle

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.

Related Topics

Similar Articles

Latest Stories

The Standard Insider

Digger Classified

GET OUR NEWSLETTER

CONNECT WITH US

FOR THE LATEST JOB ADVERTS

Similar Articles

Tourism earnings hit record Sh500 billion as arrivals near 8m

Kakamega youth, women eye avocado export cash after skills training

Portable kitchen: Designer taps into space-saving trend

Kenya urged to pilot AI regulatory Sandbox in bid to lead Africa's digital future

DIGGER JOBS

Digger Motors

Digger Real Estate

Blow-by-blow account of how Janet Wangui was shot dead by officers inside her vehicle

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.

Related Topics

Similar Articles

Latest Stories

The Standard Insider

Digger Classified

GET OUR NEWSLETTER

CONNECT WITH US

FOR THE LATEST JOB ADVERTS