My father’s death was ‘a well organised elimination’ then cover up – Senator Kilonzo Jnr

Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr testifies during an inquest into his father’s death. Mutula Kilonzo, a former senator for Makueni, died in 2013. [John Muia, Standard]

The death of former Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo was ‘a well organised elimination’ in collaboration with workers or persons close to him, his son told a court on Tuesday.

Mutula Kilonzo Jnr said the murder was followed by a massive cover-up.

Mutula Jnr, the Makueni senator, on Tuesday also told a Machakos court that samples extracted from his father’s body for toxicology examination in the United Kingdom were ‘withheld’ in the country for nine days before being flown out.

While testifying during a judicial inquest into his father’s death, the senator claimed a leading city hospital and a team of both family and Government pathologists might have been involved in what he referred to as ‘a calculated collaboration’ to conceal the cause of his father’s death.

Mutula Jnr said an email by the privately sourced UK-based expert pathologist, Prof Ian Calder, addressed to local pathologists and copied to the senator, indicated that the 64 samples extracted from Mutula’s body which were received in the UK had not been sealed.

“Prof Calder stated clearly that he went out of his way (of professional ethics) because of the magnitude of the matter and examined unsealed samples and advised Dr Gachie and Dr Musau (local pathologists involved in the process) that he could not sign his report unless he received sealed samples,” said Mutula Jnr.

The senator explained that the UK-based pathologist, notwithstanding the absence of sealed samples, concluded that the deceased had ingested a substance that caused ‘catastrophic haemorrhage’.

“That was episode two of the cover-up of my father’s death because there was no explanation as to why the samples had not been sealed, and why the family was not informed of the same,” he told Senior Resident Magistrate Kipkirui Kibellion.

He dismissed an earlier autopsy report presented to the same court by a Nakuru-based pathologist, Dr SW Mwangi, which pointed to a possibility of ‘overdose’ of a nasal decongestant.

According to Mutula Jnr, the State had failed to seek and get explanations as to why the samples were withheld in Nairobi for nine days and in whose custody they were.

“The management of Nairobi Hospital has never been questioned about storage of samples and no statement on chain of custody has been issued,” he said.

The senator said it was strange that although a complaint had been presented to the Director of Public Prosecutions over the issues, no action had been taken.

Criminal act

“My idea was to get to know of any possibility of a criminal act in the process. But I am greatly pained because the death of such a person as Mutula Kilonzo should not have been treated so casually,” he said.

Mutula Jnr said prior to the death, his father had received several death threats ‘from several quarters’.

Mutula was found dead in his bedroom at his Kwakyelu ranch in Maanzoni, Machakos County, on April 27, 2013.

Kilonzo Jnr told the court that he received a short message text (SMS) from the then farm manager, a Mr Mwaniki, which read: “Chairman is very sick, come urgently.” He said workers at the ranch referred to the  senator as ‘Chairman’.