Courts
Mbagathi morgue staffer claims board member wants her to implicate CEO in case
Magistrate advises defence lawyer to report the matter to the relevant government agencies to institute investigations into the alleged threats.
One of the three morgue attendants at Mbagathi Hospital, who are accused of giving false information about a deceased person and conspiracy to obtain money by pretences, claims she has been issued with threats to implicate a senior hospital official in the case.
When the matter came up for mention before Milimani Principal Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi, defence lawyer Wilfred Oroko informed the court that one of his clients has been receiving phone calls from a member of the Board of Directors at the hospital, Collins Oketch, threatening her to implicate the hospital CEO (Alex Irungu) with the offence.
“Your honour, I would like to put this court aware that one of my clients Jackline Wangithi has been receiving calls threatening her for dire consequences if she fails to implicate one of the senior hospital official with the offence,” Oroko told the court.
He told the court that Oketch has been allegedly threatening Wanghithi that if she fails to comply she will face the consequences.
However, the magistrate advised Oroko to report the matter to the relevant government agencies to institute investigations into the alleged threats.
Wangithi, the head mortician, Jackline Akoth Owino, a data clerk and Elizabeth Aoga, a mortuary assistant, have denied three counts of giving false information, conspiracy to commit a felony and demanding money by menaces.
They had denied informing police Constable Joseph Ogalo that they had not released the body of James Mbugua from Mbagathi Farewell Home whilst they had done so.
State Prosecutor Sonia Njoki told the magistrate that the three mortuary attendants gave the police officer a body of another person and presented to him Information about another body a fact they knew was false.
They also denied demanding from Ann Mbugua Ksh 30,000 on December 5, 2024, with intent to defraud her.
They were also accused of conspiring to obtain money from Ann pretending the money was intended to clear an accumulated hospital bill of the said James Mbugua alias Joseph which had amounted to 61,000.
They are out on cash bail of Ksh 100,000 each pending the hearing and determination of the case.
The case will be heard on May 14.
