Woman left when niece married her husband, witness tells court

Susan Nyambura in court on Wednesday. [Harun Wathari, Standard]

A German tycoon married his worker in 1971, the High Court in Nakuru heard on Wednesday.

Gideon Mwangi, a pastor, testified before Judge Hillary Chemitei that Joseph Leitmann married his sister-in-law Susan Nyambura. 

Nyambura (pictured), 75, is battling her niece Lucy Wanjiku, 53, over Leitmann’s inheritance after he died on August 3, 2001, without a will.

Mwangi, a former photographer, said he and Leitmann became friends after marrying from the same home. He said he was occasionally invited to take photos at Leitmann’s functions.

Mwangi said Nyambura was a casual labourer in a 10-acre farm that Leitmann bought in 1969 in Kiratina, Nakuru County. “Nyambura sold tea and water to workers and managers in the farm under the management of a previous owner before Leitmann bought the property,” he testified. He told court that once Leitmann took over the property, he made Nyambura his assistant manager in the farm.

Mwangi said Leitmann and Nyambura got close and started a romantic relationship. Nyambura left her mother’s house and lived with Leitmann. Her actions however angered her mother, who pressured Leitmann to formalise their marriage. “Nyambura’s mother nagged Leitmann and urged him to either marry her daughter or leave her. She also sent village elders to his home,” testified Mwangi.

Mwangi said Leitmann yielded and paid dowry at a ceremony he (Mwangi) attended and took photos.

Leitmann is said to have given money, gifts, a sheep, clothes, shoes and muratina (alcohol) in order to be allowed to live with Nyambura. “After he fulfilled the wishes of Nyambura’s mother, Leitmann was allowed to take in Nyambura as his wife in late 1971,” he said. Simon Kariuki, 78, a former manager at Leitmann’s farm, said during the 10 years he worked there, Leitmann and Nyambura were married.

He said he gathered men from both families and organised a dowry ceremony for the two’s marriage according to Kikuyu traditions.“Leitmann paid Sh500 as introduction money and Sh1,000 as dowry in the ceremony I attended as Leitmann’s representative,” testified Kariuki.

Kariuki said Nyambura then took her niece Wanjiku into their house. Wanjiku was still in primary school and together with Leitmann, they helped her advance her studies.

However, Kariuki said, after she completed secondary education, Wanjiku and Leitmann got into a romantic relationship and she conceived a child while still at her aunt’s house. “She was in college when Leitmann employed her as his secretary. She got pregnant and it angered Nyambura,” Kariuki told the court.

Nyambura moved out in anger and shame because of what had transpired, he said.

Kariuki added that he intervened and told Leitmann that his actions were a taboo and he (Leitmann) decided to get Nyambura another house. He remained with Wanjiku.

“They got another child and Nyambura could not return. However, Wanjiku left Leitmann and went to the US,” Kariuki testified.

Feeling helpless, Leitmann is said to have sought Nyambura’s assistance to raise his two children left behind by Wanjiku. Wanjiku allegedly returned in 2002, after Leitmann’s death and burial. She wanted her children and also sought to chase Nyambura from Leitmann’s home. “Nyambura is living in poverty in a... room filled with worry and trouble. She has never found peace since 2002 and she is suffering,” he said.

Kariuki added that she is a widow and childless. Wanjiku, who went to court in 2001, insists she was Leitmann’s sole wife and wants her aunt locked out of the estate. Nyambura says she was also married to Leitmann and wants a share of the estate. Leitmann left behind 5,178 acres, houses, hotels, vehicles, boreholes, machinery, businesses and 2,000 shares in Ukingoni Farm Ltd. There was no administrator.

By November 2001, all the properties were valued at Sh100 million.