My Father's Death Was Well Planned, Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior Says

Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Juniour sats that the death of his father, Mutula Kilonzo was a “well organized elimination in collaboration with workers or persons close to him or both – which was followed by a massive cover up,” he told a Machakos court on Monday.

Speaking while testifying before an inquest, the senator said samples extracted from his father’s body for examination in the United Kingdom were withheld in the country for nine days before being flown out.

The Senator further claimed that a leading city hospital, and a joint team of both family and government pathologists might have connived in what he referred to as a “calculated collaboration” to conceal the cause of his father’s death.

Mutula Junior also said that an email by a privately sourced UK-based pathologist, Prof Ian Calder, to local pathologists and copied to him showed that the 64 samples extracted from his father’s body and sent to the UK had not been sealed. “Prof Calder stated clearly that he went out of his way (of professional ethics) because of the magnitude of the matter and examined unsealed samples and advised Dr Gachie and Dr Musau (local pathologists involved in the process) that he could not sign his report unless he received sealed samples,” Mutula Junior said.

The Makueni senator, however, disclosed that the UK-based pathologist, notwithstanding absence of sealed samples, concluded that the deceased had consumed a substance that “caused catastrophic hemorrhage.” “That was Episode Two of the cove-up of my father’s death because there was no explanation as to why the samples had not been sealed, and why the family was not informed of the same,” he told Senior Resident Magistrate Kipkirui Kibellion.

He rubbished an earlier autopsy report tabled to the same court by a Nakuru-based pathologist, Dr S.W. Mwangi, which indicated to a possibility of “overdose” of a nasal decongestant. “The theory that he could have overdosed himself is absolutely part of the cover-up. The death of my father was a well calculated elimination in collaboration with workers or persons close to him or both, which was followed up by massive cover up,” he said.

He accused the State of failing to seek and get explanations on why the samples were delayed in Nairobi for nine days and under whose custody. “The management of Nairobi Hospital has never been questioned about storage of samples and no statement on chain of custody has been issued,” he said. “My idea was to get to know of any possibility of criminal act in the process. But I am greatly pained because the death of such a person as Mutula Kilonzo should not have been treated so casually,” he said.

Mutula Junior also alleged the death of his late father was treated casually and dismissed as baseless a report that his father ingested pellets with pepsi soda, claiming Mutula Senior never consumed soda or any carbonated drink. “It was a cover up,” he said.

“On the position he was found lying, it suggested he had been put in bed. It was unusual,” said the Makueni Senator, adding “He was lying on his back, his legs put together and the said pellets had no prescription on them.” Mutula Junior said the last time he saw his father was on April 26th, 2013 at 10.00 am. “We had issues to discuss with him,” said Mutula Jnr. “He was well at that time, given he was a regular gym goer.”

Mutula Junior said that on the day of his death, he received a text message from one Mwaniki, the farm manager, which read that Mutula Senior was “very sick.” “Mwaniki asked me to go to the farm urgently,” he said. “On arriving at my dad’s farm, I found Mwaniki, the Kyulu farm manager, Kitiku the driver, Kelli the cleaner, and Mutuku the official government driver,” said Mutula Junior. “I tried waking him up, but he was stiff. His body had already become cold.” “Dr Mwangi arrived at dad’s farm accompanied by Kamanza Musau. When he realised dad was dead, he went downstairs came and came with a camcorder and recorded the incident. “A police officer from Machakos arrived an hour later and took photographs of the scene, bedroom and bathroom. I was surprised he claimed in court that he had never seen the photos.”