Pastor denies charges as murder trial begins in Kiambu

Pastor Ann Wambui Nyoro (left), late city lawyer Paul Magu’s father Mr Samuel Muhiu and Ms Nyoro’s lawyer Ms Waithera Mwangi at the Kiambu Law Courts on March 17, 2016 after the first hearing of a case in which Ms Nyoro is charged with aiding the death of Mr Magu and his family. PHOTO | ERIC WAINAINA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Ms Ann Wambui Nyoro is charged that, between November 23 and 25 last year at Makongeni in Thika, Kiambu County, she aided Mr Magu to kill himself.

  • She is also charged with having a hand in the death of Mr Magu, his wife Lydia and their children Allen, 9, Ryan, 8, and Tiffany.

  • She denied the charges and was freed on a Sh2 million bond.

A few days before his death, city lawyer Paul Magu Muhiu was behaving in a weird manner and his family almost thought that he had gone mad, a court heard Thursday.

This emerged as the lawyer’s father, Mr Samuel Muhiu, and Ruth Njambi, a secretary at his law firm, retraced his last weeks before his death in November 2014.

Mr Muhiu was the first prosecution witness to testify in a case in which a pastor is charged with aiding the death of Mr Magu and his young family.

Ms Ann Wambui Nyoro is charged that, between November 23 and 25 last year at Makongeni in Thika, Kiambu County, she aided Mr Magu to kill himself. She is also charged with having a hand in the death of Mr Magu, his wife Lydia and their children Allen, 9, Ryan, 8, and Tiffany.

She denied the charges and was freed on a Sh2 million bond.

Mr Muhiu told Kiambu Principal Magistrate Mr Justus Kituku that, a day before his death, his son made an impromptu visit to their rural home at Kiganjo, Thika, at around 4pm driving a small car, which was unusual. Because Mr Magu’s mother was away, he prepared tea, but Mr Magu only took a few sips, saying he felt weak and had not eaten for two days.

“Since he said he was not leaving immediately, I decided to go the farm, but he followed me there,” said Mr Muhiu. “He appeared uneasy and people asked me what was wrong with him.”

ODD BEHAVIOUR

Later, Mr Muhiu prepared supper, which his son declined to eat and left on foot, allegedly for a fundraiser with friends. When he returned, his clothes muddy, he said they had been attacked.

Mr Magu then entered a room and started screaming and talking to himself. When Mr Muhiu returned form a nearby shop, he found Mr Magu in his mother’s skirt and blouse.

He angrily ordered him to undress and gave him his own clothes, which he wore and drove off.

“I saw that something was wrong and called his siblings to intercept him but they didn’t manage,” said Mr Muhiu. “We tried reaching his wife but her phone went unanswered.”

Ms Lydia Magu’s partially burnt body was found in a thicket at Paradise Lost, on Kiambu Road, after she went missing on November 23 last year. Tiffany’s body was found in a coffee plantation in Ruiru while the decomposed bodies of Allen and Ryan were found in a thicket at Tatu City.

Ms Njambi, who has worked at Mr Magu’s Thika and Evergreen offices since 2011, said he kept her out of the office on several ocassions.

Hearing continues today with the deceased’s brother, Mr Andrew Muhiu, and his househelp, Ms Margaret Njoki, expected to testify.