Wanjiru mother denies threats charge

The mother of marathoner Samuel Wanjiru was on Monday charged with creating a disturbance by threatening her daughter in-law with a panga.

Ms Hannah Wanjiru, 49, denied before a Nyahururu court that she threatened Ms Terezah Njeri at a farm where she was identifying a burial site for her husband.

She was freed on a Sh30,000 bond and ordered to produce a surety in similar amount.

Ms Wanjiru told resident magistrate Caroline Obara that Ms Njeri’s brothers Githinji Muturi and Paul Wanjohi and her father, Mr Muturi Waweru, attacked her when she asked why they were trespassing on her farm at Suera Village in Nyandarua West District.

Ms Wanjiru, who did not attend her son’s burial, also denied attacking Ms Njeri’s brother, Mr Wanjohi, seriously injuring him on the neck, cheek and ankle.

The marathoner’s mother, who has kept a low profile since losing an application to stop the burial of her son before the High Court in Nakuru, was not represented when she took the plea.

Ms Wanjiru was driven to court by her son, Mr Simon Njoroge, and was immediately taken to the holding cells behind the court building after handing over a Sh2,000 police bond she had been refunded by officers at Ol Jororok Police Station.

Prosecutor Paul Omweri did not object to her release, saying a medical form showing Mr Wanjohi had been assaulted had been filed and that he intended to present three witnesses to court.

The witnesses are Mr Wanjohi, chief Joseph Gachoya and investigating officer Edward Farah. The magistrate ordered that the case be heard on August 1.

The arraignment of Ms Wanjiru comes hardly nine days after her son was buried at the disputed site despite her loud protestations that she would not allow her son’s burial until the cause of his death was established.