Inquiry told ex-TV anchor Louis Otieno bought luxury cars for ‘wife’

Louis Otieno when he appeared before Kibera Law Court. (Photo: Willis Awandu)

Former TV anchor Louis Otieno introduced the late Careen Chepchumba as his 'wife' to a car dealer from whom they acquired vehicles on loan.

An inquest probing Ms Chepchumba's death was told by John Nderitu, the owner of Subaru Motors Ltd, that Mr Otieno on July 29, 2011 approached him, saying he wanted to buy a Volkswagen Golf for his wife.

Mr Nderitu recalled that after agreeing on the price, Otieno paid Sh1 million cash for the car and promised to go back for it later.

Nderitu who took the inquest through a number of receipts Otieno and Chepchumba used to purchase various top of the range vehicles, said the Volkswagen was registered in the journalist's name.

"Louis told me he was buying the car for his wife, and on the day of collecting the car, he came accompanied by the woman whom he introduced as his wife, and that is how I came to know Careen," Nderitu told Kibera Senior Principal Magistrate Charles Ondieki.

The witness recalled that after two weeks, Otieno went back and said he was interested in Range Rover Vogue and wanted to purchase it for himself.

"We sold him the Range Rover at Sh5.4 million and he accepted to trade in with his Toyota Vitz. We agreed that he pays Sh3.5m in installments," he submitted.

The inquest heard that after two weeks Otieno deposited Sh600,000 and was given the Range Rover Vogue.

However, according to Nderitu, the former TV anchor was unable to pay the balance and three months later, he went back to dealer with the Volkswagen Golf he had bought for Chepchumba and asked that it be sold to recover the loan.

Nderitu further told the inquest that after staying with the Volkswagen for some time, Otieno went back with Sh800,000 cheque written in the name of 'Careen Kili Amstrong'. The amount he said was part of the outstanding balance for the Range Rover.

The businessman said the cheque was the last installment they received from Otieno as several months later, he was unable to pay for the Range Rover.

"After Careen's death, we asked him to return the Range so that we could resale it to recover the money," he said.