Doctors' strike delays Martha Mwangangi 'murder' case
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Ms Boke directed that Mr Tito be escorted to Mathari Mental Hospital in Nairobi once the doctors resume work to ascertain if he is fit to stand trial.
She further directed that the case be mentioned again on January 26 for submission of the psychiatric assessment report.
The ongoing doctors' strike has delayed the trial of a driver accused of killing former Kitui mayor Martha Mwangangi, it has emerged.
A Kitui court had ordered a psychiatric test done on Philip Isika Tito to ascertain if he is fit to stand trial.
Mr Tito is accused of running over and killing Ms Mwangangi on December 16, 2016 while driving a Kitui County government fire engine.
The prosecution, led by Martin Wanjala, on Thursday told Kitui Principal Magistrate Esther Boke that the test had not been carried out because there are doctors on duty to perform them.
Ms Boke directed that Mr Tito be escorted to Mathari Mental Hospital in Nairobi for the test once the doctors resume work.
MURDER CHARGES
She further directed that the case be mentioned again on January 26 for submission of the psychiatric assessment report.
The prosecution has concluded investigations into the case and preferred murder charges against the accused.
Mrs Mwangangi was crushed to death after protests against the demolition of kiosks in Kitui town turned tragic on the morning of December 16.
She had joined the protests alongside former Land Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu in a show of solidarity with the affected traders.
Mrs Ngilu survived death by a whisker after she was shoved aside by her bodyguard.
Mr Tito was trying to scare away the protesters, who had threatened to torch a county vehicle outside the Kitui Central Police Station, when he ran over Ms Mwangangi, according to eyewitnesses.
