Muthama: Diplomat was afraid

Venezuelan Ambassador to Kenya Olga Fonseca had confided in a senator that her life was in danger a few days before she was killed, a court heard on Monday.

Giving evidence during the trial of seven people accused of killing Ms Fonseca, Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama said the ambassador made the confession during a meeting at a place arranged by her office.

Mr Muthama was the landlord of the Venezuelan Embassy residence at the time.

He said he was accompanied to the meeting by his wife and daughter Alice, who was in charge of the property.

The senator said he found Ms Fonseca seated in the living room and she told him that the door to the house had been opened by somebody else, even though she was not aware of the existence of any duplicate keys.

Mr Muthama also said Ms Fonseca complained that workers did not attend to her as their new boss and that she had lived in a hotel for some time before moving to the house.

“I told her that if she felt threatened, she should report to the police. She looked frightened and I was touched with the way she was behaving while narrating her fears,” said Mr Muthama.

The senator also said that Ms Fonseca was sure the threat to her life and the bad conditions she was being subjected to emanated from a Venezuelan citizen.

Mr Dwight Sagaray, who was a diplomat at the embassy at the time, is being tried with others for the killing.

“I asked her about the genesis of the problem and she said she was sure it was not Kenya. All instructions came from Mr Sagaray. I promised to support her as a government officer and told her I would look into the matter if she reported to the police,” said Mr Muthama.

The senator added that workers at the residence confirmed that they took instructions from Mr Sagaray.

Mr Muthama also said the employees told him that they had been molested by former ambassador Gerardo Carrillo-Silva.

The hearing of the case continues.