Mother softens stance on athlete’s burial row
Hannah Wanjiru (left) , mother of Samuel Wanjiru and Teresia Njeri watching CCTV at Wanjiru’s home in Muthaiga estate in Nyahururu town on May 19, 2011. The government pathologist has invited the two to witness the athlete's autopsy Photo/FILE
Efforts to reconcile the family of fallen Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru appeared to bear fruit on Sunday as it emerged his mother had agreed to settle the matter out of court.
The athlete’s mother Hannah Wanjiru had reportedly agreed to withdraw a court case she filed last week barring her daughter-in-law from burying her husband who died in a mysterious fall last week.
Lawyer Wilfred Konosi for the mother told the Nation on telephone on Sunday evening that they had made good progress in the reconciliation efforts after a long meeting at the athlete’s home in Nyahururu.
He said they would withdraw the case by filing a consent in court but only after ironing out sticky issues that had put mother and daughter-in-law at loggerheads.
“We are trying to reconcile the two parties and we have made some good progress,” he said.
Mr Konosi said they have identified the cause of tension between the two parties adding that they are making some head way.
“We want to separate succession of his estate and the burial because they are not related,” said the lawyer.
“The issue about who inherits his estate will come much later. In fact we told them this was not the right forum to discuss that.. once they reconcile we will get moving,” he added.
However, he noted that this can only be done after thorough investigations over his death are completed.
“The mother is free to choose a doctor of her choice for postmortem because we want to clear these doubts before burial,” he added.
This would be a remarkable change of heart after her earlier position in which she declared that she doesn’t recognise Teresia Njeri as her daughter-in-law.
She got an injunction stopping the burial plans until the case is heard and determined.
A meeting was held on Saturday at the athlete’s home where the mother agreed to withdraw the case further to another meeting on Monday.
Mr Ndegwa Wahome, a lawyer representing Ms Njeri said the meeting went on well and hinted that the issue will be finalised on Monday.
Mr Wahome said he expected the mother to announce her withdrawal of the case so that the athlete’s remains can be laid to rest in a manner befitting his heroic status.
