How food vendor clobbered carpenter to death over Sh20 githeri bill
An Eldoret court was told that a businesswoman struck to death a man who failed to pay a Sh20 bill in a food kiosk in Munyaka estate, Eldoret. A key witness in the murder case recounted that his close friend was clobbered to death by the woman in a dispute over a plate of githeri.
Maurice Muthee, a casual labourer, recalled the incident in which his friend, George Okoth, a carpenter, was killed.
Mr Muthee told the packed court that the woman, who he said was well known to him, was helped by three young men, who held the man’s hands as she struck him on the head.
“I witnessed my friend being clobbered with a blunt object on the head three times by the accused, Nancy Waithera, for allegedly refusing to pay for the githeri she had served him,” Mr Muthee told Justice Reuben Nyakundi.
Mr Muthee was testifying in a case where Ms Waithera has denied murdering Mr Okoth on the evening of August 9, 2020 in Munyaka estate, Ainabkoi sub-county, Uasin Gishu County.
Pastor Henry Kamau, the owner of the carpentry shop where Mr Okoth worked, told the court that he stumbled on his employee as he lay down writhing in pain.
“I was coming from church on that material day when I found George lying down on the road and unable to walk. I asked him what the problem was and he told me that he had been beaten on the head by Nancy,” the cleric said.
He told the court that he lifted up Mr Okoth and helped him walk to his house, located a few metres from the pastor’s home.
The pastor said the carpenter refused to be taken to hospital and said he wanted to rest in his house.
“Five hours after we parted ways, I received a call from a friend, who told me that George had succumbed to the injuries in his house. That was around 9pm,” he told the judge.
State counsel Mark Mugun told the court that only two more witnesses would testify – an investigation officer and a pathologist from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
“Your honour, I pray that you give me more time so that I [can] summon them to come to court and give their testimony in relation to this murder case,” Mr Mugun said.
The hearing will continue on November 6.
tominde@ke.nationmedia.com