Ex-Kabete MP died of gunshot wounds, court told

Chief government pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor has told the High Court that former Kabete MP George Muchai, his two bodyguards and a driver died out of multiple injuries caused by a single gunshot.

In his evidence in chief, Dr Oduor told High Court judge Justus Bwonwong’a that he conducted a postmortem on the late MP’s body and concluded that the cause of the death was multiple injuries from a single gunshot fired from a very high velocity firearm. He said the type of the firearm could be that of a G3 rifle or Ak47 rifle.

Dr Oduor said that he also conducted another postmortem on the bodies of the MP’s bodyguards and driver. 

“Your honour I also found out that the cause of deaths of the three were multiple injuries from a single gunshot fired from a very high velocity firearm.

Dr Oduor was testifying in a case in which seven people are charged with the murder of Muchai, his two bodyguards Samuel Kailikia and Samuel Matanta, and his driver Stephen Wambugu on February 7, 2015 on Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi. 

 The seven are Eric Isabwa, Raphael Kimani, Mustapha Kimani, Stephen Astiva, Jane Wanjiru, Margaret Njeri and Simon Wambugu. They have all denied the charges.

The MP was being driven home from a family gathering at Galileo’s restaurant in Westlands, Nairobi. The suspects were last month granted a cash bail of Sh500,000 each by the trial judge after being in custody for the last seven years.

They are, however, still languishing in prison remand because of another case in lower court where they have been charged with robbery with violence. The judge said he was persuaded to review his decision in denying the accused bail because of the laxity exhibited by the prosecution.

In May 2019, Justice James Wakiaga had directed the prosecution to make available to the defence the Safaricom and Airtel call data, to be used as evidence in the case. This has never been done to date.

“I find that the failure by the prosecution to adhere to what Wakiaga directed has caused this matter to drag. I must revisit the issue of denying the accused bail,” the judge said.

Hearing continues.