KDF officer recounts parents' toxic marriage in mother's murder trial

Businessman Francis Mwangi Ndirangu before Justice Robert Wananda at the High Court in Eldoret. [Lynn Kolongei, Standard] A 23-year-old Kenya Defence Force (KDF) Officer revealed to the High Court in Eldoret about his parents' toxic marriage that ended up in his mother's murder, allegedly by his father. While giving his evidence before Justice Emily Ominde, Sammy Ndirangu recounted several incidents when his father, Francis Mwangi Ndirangu, abused his late mother while he and his siblings watched. Ndirangu, who fought back tears while testifying on the dock, regretted that the constant attacks meted out on his mother , Rael Cherop Biwott, led to her death. The deceased, Biwott 44, was a Senior Accountant Assistant at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) billing section in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County. Ndirangu recounted how his father, a businessman and whom he described as violent and abusive, would assault his mother while accusing her of infidelity. "My father used to insult and beat my mother. He was violent, and often, he would accuse her of infidelity. He would batter her even in my presence. This made me develop hatred and a frosty relationship with him," he told the court. He further narrated that while on deployment, he made efforts to ensure that he communicated with his mother to know how she was going on. "I was very close to my late mother and we used to chat via WhatsApp daily after duty at my workstation," Ndirangu recalled. The KDF officer was testifying against his father in a case where he denied killing his wife on the night of June 22 and 23 at their Shauri estate home in the outskirts of Eldoret City. Biwott, a mother of four, was reported missing on June 23, 2024. Her dismembered body parts were subsequently discovered at multiple locations across Nandi and Uasin Gishu counties between June 24 and June 27, 2024. The deceased was reportedly last seen leaving her workplace on June 22, 2024, around 7 pm, accompanied by her husband. A DCI report indicated that, despite initial statements by Ndirangu, claiming that they took a matatu home, CCTV footage showed them leaving in a Toyota Succeed, which had been hired by Ndirangu. In a sad turn of events, on June 24, around noon, some of Biwott's dismembered body parts were found stashed in a gunny bag beside a road in Kapsilegaa village, Nandi County. Later that day, more parts of her body, including her head and upper limbs, were discovered beside a road in Lamaiywet village, Uasin Gishu County. The businessman later reported his wife missing at Eldoret Central Police Station. An autopsy that was conducted on the body of the deceased at MTRH revealed that Biwott suffered severe neck injuries and blunt force trauma to the head. The accused has been detained at the Eldoret GK remand prison after the court denied his release on bond on security grounds. The prosecution has lined up about 20 witnesses against the accused, including his other children. Four state witnesses, among them two sons of the accused person and sister-in-law Elizabeth Jeptoo, have already given their evidence in chief against him in court. The hearing of the matter continues today.

KDF officer recounts parents' toxic marriage in mother's murder trial

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