Jane Gatwiri, mother to Mwenda Mbijiwe.
The mother of missing security analyst Mwenda Mbijiwe broke down in court when she testified about her missing son, claiming that former deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had promised in 2022 that the former Airforce pilot would be released immediately President William Ruto took over power.
While testifying for the second time this week, Jane Gatwiri told the judge that she is "sure her son is being detained by security agents" since Gachagua assured her and the people of Meru that he is with the police.
Security analyst Mwenda Mbijiwe who went missing on June 12, 2021.
Gatwiri told the judge that during campaigns ahead of the 2022 General Election, the former DP addressed a rally in Timau where he claimed that Mbijiwe was being detained by police and that “immediately President Ruto takes over power he will be released from custody.”
She told the court that Gachagua was impeached before he could influence his release.
Tearfully, she testified that government officials have been tossing her from one office to the other as she seeks answers.
“All that I know is that my son is alive and he should be released to the family soonest.”
'Not an ordinary village boy'
Besides her testimony. she presented the judge with photos of her son with retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, late Prime Minister Raila Odinga, former DCI boss George Kinoti and other images where he was pictured with British and American security chiefs.
She said: “I present these photos to show that my son was not an ordinary village boy. He was a security guru who wined and dined with the high and mighty.”
She recalled that she last spoke to him while he was in Roysambu while he headed home on June 12, 2021, but that “he never arrived".
Gatwiri also testified that her son was eyeing the Meru gubernatorial seat when he went missing.
Ms Gatwiri dropped names of senior politicians she thought could have been behind the disappearance of her son.
She told the judge that the persons include a former senator, a former governor and others.
She also testified that it took her four years before she could convince lawyer Evans Ondieki to file the case against the government.
She alleged that all lawyers she approached declined to file the suit claiming “they feared for their lives since her son was whisked away by security agents.”
Lawyer Evans Ondieki.
“What is your plea to the court ,” her lawyer asked her.
“My prayer to the judge is that he compels the government to produce my son alive,” Gatwiri answered before becoming visibly overwhelmed by emotion at the witness stand.
The proceedings were paused briefly as her daughter, Daisy Mbijiwe, moved to comfort her.
At the same time, Edward Mwangi Macharia, the owner of the vehicle which Mbijiwe was driving when he was allegedly abducted by police in civilian clothing, was summoned by the trial judge to testify.
“Macharia's testimony is very crucial in this case since he is an eyewitness,” the judge stated, saying the missing man was driving Macharia's car when he was allegedly abducted.
“The testimony of the vehicle owner is quite crucial if justice is going to be achieved,” the judge noted.
He added that it is this vehicle owner who will lay everything bare.
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