Pastor accused of murder claims wife died by suicide

A former pastor who has been charged with killing his wife told her family that she took poison, a court heard.

Joel Magaka is accused of killing Hyline Nyakwara at their Omosasa home in Bomachoge in January last year.

High Court judge Rose Ougo heard that the suspect told Hyline's brother, Cyrus Nyakwara, that his sister died by suicide.

Cyrus told the court that he had known the suspect for nearly three years and he was aware he lived with his sister as husband and wife.

He recounted that on January 14, last year, his sister called to inform him that she was going to report an incident at Magena Police Station.

“She promised to call me back. I waited for the call in vain. At around 8 pm my mother Margaret Nyakwara came to my house and informed me that my father Charles Nyakwara had received a call from Joel informing him that my sister had taken poison at their maize store,” Cyrus said.

Cyrus said he called Magaka who told him his sister had taken poison.

“He told me that he suspected that my sister had taken poison after he had found her lying in the maize store. He said he was taking her to hospital.”

During cross-examination, Cyrus said he kept calling the suspect to inquire about the sister.

"At around 11 pm, I received a call from another sister, Verah Naykwara, informing me that when she arrived at Christ Marine Hospital she found Hyline's body being removed from the boot of a private car.

“We later learnt that Joel had been arrested after the hospital staff reported the matter to the police.

"At Hyline's home we found a blood-stained knife, a blood-stained piece of cloth, saliva and hair braids," Cyrus told the court.

Mogaka was arrested and charged with Hyline’s murder.