Why it will take longer to know what caused death of Gicheru

Lawyer Paul Gicheru at the ICC. [File, Standard]

It will take a bit longer before Kenyans know what killed lawyer Paul Gicheru.

Gicheru died on Monday evening at his Karen home where he had spent the day with his family.

Gicheru's family indicated to the police that a postmortem examination will be done after they have agreed on the date.

The family, through lawyer John Khaminwa, told Langata police investigators to be more patient as the family prepares and also to give time to some of Gicheru's children who are out of the country to return.

Khaminwa, who addressed journalists on Tuesday after visiting the family said: "He was in a stressful condition and was not himself. What I am reading on social media that he probably ate some poisoned food is not true. For the son who is now in hospital appears to me that he was shaken after seeing his father dying."

Once all close family members have landed in Kenya, the family will communicate to the police when the post-mortem examination can take place, an official familiar with the matter said.

The family has also requested the police to allow Gicheru's son who had been taken ill, time to recover.

"We are ready but we must also give the family more time to prepare," said an officer coordinating the investigations.

The investigators are hoping that by the time the family is ready to proceed with the post-mortem, analysis by Government's Chemist of items taken fromGicheru's home will be ready.

On Monday, the police collected samples for forensic analysis. They collected clothes, office keys, leftover food and utensils Gicheru had used.

The police have also been tracing Gicheru's last movements, but preliminary investigations have so far not revealed that he made any strange movements.

Gicheru's widow and son were indoors on Monday, hours before he was pronounced dead at 7pm. Other than his immediate family members, Gicheru had also been joined by his father-in-law from Nakuru.

The house help and driver were also in the home, according to the police who also say the five were the last people who saw the lawyer alive.