Wanjiru’s family invited to observe autopsy
The government pathologist on Thursday invited Olympic gold medallist Samuel Wanjiru’s family to witness the autopsy scheduled for Friday.
Those asked by Dr Moses Njue to observe the postmortem examination are Wanjiru’s mother, Hannah Wanjiru, wife, Teresia Njeri, and brother, Simon Njoroge.
Dr Njue said the postmortem examination would also be watched by two other pathologists at the Lee Funeral Home, where the body has been for the last 10 days.
“We have agreed that Wanjiru’s mother and wife should be represented by private pathologists as they are both eager to establish the cause of death,” said lawyer Ndegwa Wahome, who is also the chairman of the Nyahururu funeral committee.
A crucial meeting is to take place after the postmortem, Mr Ndegwa added, where the mother and the wife will decide on the date of the burial, discuss the outcome of the postmortem examination, and also determine whether the court injunction stopping the burial should be lifted or not.
“The police are also anxious to know the outcome since it will help them conclude their investigations on who, if there is anyone, is to blame for the death. What we are all in agreement on is that the internationally acclaimed athlete did not commit suicide,” he said.
Mr Ndegwa also called for patience as the matter is addressed, saying, court orders must be respected and that Njeri had agreed to all the mother’s demands.
Ms Wanjiru had sought orders restraining Njeri, her relatives and the athlete’s friends from holding meetings to plan for the burial and also from removing the body from the funeral home for burial.
In the papers filed by lawyer Wilfred Konosi, she said that her son could have been murdered and any move to inter the remains was meant to defeat investigations.
The case will be mentioned on June 2 before High Court judge Mathew Anyara Emukule in Nakuru.
Meanwhile, Ms Wanjiru has disowned a man claiming to be the runner’s biological father.
She threatened to sue Mr Elijah Chebon for defamation unless he withdrew his claims through the media.
Ms Wanjiru asked why the alleged biological father had kept quiet all through Wanjiru’s life only to lay a claim after his death.
On Wednesday evening, the alleged biological father fled from an organised press conference in Nakuru Town, where he was to withdraw his statement.
