A Nyeri court heard Thursday that the late Nyeri Governor Dr. Wahome Gakuru would have been alive if there was prompt medical attention.
The late governor’s driver and the fourth witness into his death’s inquiry Mr. Samuel Kinyanjui told the court that he watched the governor being stuck in the car bleeding and groaning for 45 minutes without receiving any medical help.
“WE TRIED BREAKING THE WINDOW SO THAT WE COULD GET THE GOVERNOR OUT BUT WE WERE UNABLE. I TRIED GETTING HIM OUT OF THE CAR BUT HIS LEGS WERE STUCK. I TRIED TO MOVE THE SEAT BUT IT COULD NOT MOVE SINCE THE BATTERY OF THE CAR HAD BEEN TAMPERED WITH AND A LORRY STOPPED AND GAVE US A CRANE THAT WE TIED THE SEAT WITH AND RIPPED IT OFF,” HE SAID.
Kinyanjui who was testifying before Chief Magistrate Wendy Kagendo who is hearing the death inquest said:
“I DROVE AT A SPEED OF BETWEEN 105 AND 110 KILOMETERS PER HOUR. BUT AS L SLOWED DOWN AND WAS STEERING THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE L REALIZED THAT A LORRY WHICH WAS BEHIND ME WAS APPROACHING AT A HIGH SPEED I HAD TO SWERVE SUDDENLY TO AVOID THE LORRY FROM HITTING THE CAR.”
He said he drove to the side of the guard rail to avoid the lorry from hitting the car from the rear which could have pushed the car into the middle of the road and cause multiple accidents.
The Prosecutor Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecution Mr. Peter Mairanyi, asked him why he did not accelerate and he said that he reduced the speed since he wanted to inquire what was wrong due to the loud bang he had heard from behind.
Kinyanjui told the court that due to the impact of the car hitting the guardrail his airbag inflated which blocked his view, hence was not able to control the steering wheel and his leg pushed the accelerator pedal hence increasing the speed.
However, he was unable to explain as to why the governor’s airbags did not inflate but only his inflated.
The witness said prior to the accident, he had not taken the Mercedes car for any service, adding that it was in good shape when the accident happened.
He added that the Mercedes had been used the week before the incident explaining that the car never left the governor’s residence without him.
“MOST OF THE TIMES L DROVE THE GOVERNOR USING THE PAJERO,” HE SAID.
Kinyanjui was not aware that there was a change of vehicle until in the morning at around 5 am when Mr Josphat Maina, a private aide came out with the Mercedes keys and informed him that the governor had said they would use the Mercedes and not the Pajero.
“SOMETIMES HE DROVE HIMSELF AND ASKED ME TO SIT AT THE BACK,” KINYANJUI ADDED.
He denied having been used by some people to kill the governor arguing he had chauffeured Gakuru for barely two weeks before the accident.
He added that he risked his life and initiated a method to save the governor by breaking the driver’s seat using a crane from a lorry.
He added that he placed him on his laps, lifted him out of the car and rushed him to Thika Level Five Hospital, while Kabati residents watched without rendering any help.
