The case of an Australian teacher Ms. Gabrielle Maina who was shot dead last Thursday in Nairobi was heard on Tuesday in Kibera Law courts.
Ms. Gabrielle Maina died of a single gunshot to her neck in Karen as she walked home last Thursday.
On Monday, police arrested her estranged husband Mr. Cyrus Bernard Maina Njuguna, together with his cousin John Njuguna Waithira, who may face the death penalty in Kenya if charged and convicted of her murder.
The 40-year-old mother of two boys, aged eight and four married Mr. Maina in 2001, but the couple later separated and Ms. Maina was awarded a restraining order against her husband in April this year.
According to ABC news, the lawyer for the two suspects, Wilfred Nderitu, argued that Mr. Maina was in his office at the time of the murder and that there’s evidence from about 10 people showing he was not at the scene.
“At this point the respondents are innocent. It ought to be noted however, that if the police charge them with murder, the same will be a serious offense, which carries a mandatory death penalty,” he said.
The court approved a request to have the two suspects held for seven working days to allow investigators enough time to piece together evidence.
The suspects’ lawyer asked the court to release the two, arguing that “there has been no basis to suggest that they would interfere with any witnesses”, and that police have already had the opportunity to carry out their investigations.
