Mary Wambui murder trial: Joseph Kori to testify against mistress

What you need to know:

  • Judy Wangui, a former mistress of Joseph Kori is facing murder charges together with Michael Mathenge, a car dealer.
  • Kori, initially arrested over the death of his wife, was later released and is expected to be a state witness.   

A mistress, a car dealer and a husband.

That was the scene expected at the Kiambu Law Courts on Monday at the start of a trial in which two people are accused of killing Mary Wambui.

Ms Judy Wangui, Joseph Kori's former mistress, is facing murder charges alongside Michael Githae Mathenge, a car dealer.

Mr Kori, initially arrested over the death of his wife, was later released and is now a state witness.   

The late Mary Kamangara and her husband Joseph Kori during happier days. PHOTO | ERIC WAINAINA|NATION

HURDLES

The trial, however, failed to kick off Monday after the prosecutors said they had not been served with exhibits from the government analyst which they had intended to use in court.

At the same time, the court heard that a miscellaneous application has been filed under the certificate of urgency to have the motor vehicle seized by police as part of the evidence into the murder released.

MURDER

Ms Wambui was killed in Ms Wangui’s house on January 26, and the postmortem found that she suffered nine killer blows to the head. She was hit using a pressure cooker before being suffocated.

Mr Mathenge, a car-hire services operator, led police to a thicket in Ruiru where Ms Wambui’s body was recovered.

Ms Wangui and Mr Mathenge have denied killing Ms Wambui, an offence they allegedly committed on the night of January 26, 2019, at Four Ways Junction Estate on the Kiambu-Nairobi Road.

Justice Christine Meoli had ordered the two to deposit cash bail of Sh2 million each, to secure their release. 

TESTIMONY

The hitches have led to Mr Kori's testimony against his mistress being pushed to next year.

The miscellaneous application will be mentioned on November 4 and heard in February next year.

Mr Kori will testify against Ms Wangui in June 2020.