The man I loved is a fraudster, says Kitany of Linturi

What you need to know:

  • She said the senator used titles and documents of properties belonging to her and her mother, she said.
  • Referring to papers Mr Linturi tabled in court, indicating that he is married to Ms Mercy Kaimenyi, Ms Kitany said the senator presented himself as single.

Former chief of staff at Deputy President William Ruto’s office Marianne Kitany on Wednesday told a Nairobi court that she did not lure Meru Senator Mithika Linturi to Naivasha during an impeachment motion in Parliament against Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.

During cross examination by her lawyer Dunstan Omari before Magistrate George Gesora, Ms Kitany said they both willingly went to a lodge in Naivasha.

OWN TERMS

“I didn’t lure him to Sopa Lodge. I confirm that we went there on our own terms. Kindly permit me, if I may, to use the words willing buyer and willing seller,” she said.

Ms Kitany added: “On issues to do with love, love is love and that cannot be compared to knowledge from books; it’s about trust. This is my position.”

She accused Mr Linturi of defrauding her and her relatives. The senator used titles and documents of properties belonging to her and her mother, she said.

Referring to papers Mr Linturi tabled in court, indicating that he is married to Ms Mercy Kaimenyi, Ms Kitany said the senator presented himself as single, with no spouse to seek consent from.

She insisted that Mr Linturi told her he was in the process of divorcing Ms Kaimenyi before they started cohabiting and finally got married in a traditional wedding on March 26, 2016.

“I understood he was divorced and that’s why he came to my home. He was free and available to marry … He defrauded me and my relatives … he is a fraud,” said Ms Kitany, who intends to call 28 witnesses, as she concluded her testimony.

BLOCK COVERAGE

The parties in the case then asked the court to have the proceedings continue in private.

The also consented that only live streaming of the case would be barred henceforth.

Mr Linturi’s lawyer Muthomi Thiankolu and Prof George Wajackoyah had at first asked the court to completely block the media from covering the case.

The court also heard that the Law Society of Kenya had raised concerns about the case not being held in camera.

However, lawyers from both parties agreed to only block live coverage of the case after having a private discussion with the magistrate that saw a consent signed and adopted in court.

The hearing continues on September 24 and 25.