Louis Otieno: Careen was sexually abused by her father

Former television news anchor Louis Otieno on Friday told an inquest into the death of Ms Careen Chepchumba that her father sexually abused her.

Mr Otieno said that Ms Chepchumba confided in him that Mr Hosea Kili was not her biological father.

“She told me she had been a victim of sexual abuse by a person she thought was her biological father. She intimated to me how she lived a difficult life with her parents, especially that she was not living with her biological father. She said she would perform duties that are supposed to be done by her mother,” he said.

The former TV personality denied claims he extorted money from Ms Chepchumba, as Mr Kili had earlier told the inquest.

He said he had a steady income when he became friends with Ms Chepchumba.

“I earned an income through consultancy services. It was not true she financed my lifestyle, I had an insurance policy that covered my medical bills,” he said.

He also said he had a Range Rover Vogue which he bought by trading in his previous car. “Before I met her, I owned several Mercedes Benzes, a Land Cruiser and a BMW at various times,” he said.

Mr Kili had told the inquest that his daughter borrowed heavily from friends and family to finance Mr Otieno’s flashy lifestyle.

He said he also realised his daughter was stealing money from him, including Sh600,000 that he intended use to start a project with.

“She admitted she stole the money to pay for Mr Otieno’s rent, his upkeep and hospital bills,” he said.

Mr Kili said problems started when Mr Otieno moved to a house next to theirs at Rose Park Apartments in Kilimani.

He said his wife was the first to notice that their daughter was in a relationship with Mr Otieno.

GOOD FRIENDS
In his testimony before Kibera Resident Magistrate Charles Ondieki, Mr Otieno said the first time he met Ms Chepchumba was when she could not get into her father’s house.

“She had come from work and found the house locked. I was sitting on my balcony and she asked if she could join me,” Mr Otieno, who has lost his hearing ability, said.

Mr Otieno admitted Ms Chepchumba ran errands for him, and paid some of his bills, including Sh500,000, as documents presented in court indicated.

He, however, denied having sex with her, explaining this was why he agreed to have a DNA test carried out.

“I did not have sex with Careen, we were just good friends. That’s why I agreed to a DNA test and after the results police told me they had no business with me,” he said.

Mr Otieno said he has a wife, Joyce, with whom he has two children.

On the day Ms Chepchumba was found dead, Mr Otieno says he was in Magadi, and not Nairobi.

Ms Chepchumba, 26, a Kenya Power employee, was found dead in her bed at Santonia Court in Kilimani on February 14, 2012.

The hearing continues on Tuesday.