In an emotional and long-awaited conclusion into an investigation that has lingered for more than a decade, the inquest into the mysterious death of Olympic marathon champion Samuel Kamau Wanjiru has officially ruled that his death was accidental.
The 2008 Olympic champion died in 2011 from injuries sustained on the back of his head when he fell from a balcony at his home in Nyahururu.
After an extensive inquiry lasting nearly nine years, Wendy Kagendo, who presided over the inquest at the Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court, concluded that there was no evidence to support allegations of suicide or murder.
She also cleared his wife, Trizah Njeri, senior police officers, and a lawyer of any wrongdoing in the tragic incident that claimed Wanjiru’s life on May 15, 2011.
The magistrate noted that Wanjiru’s death was the result of an accidental fall and that his consumption of large amounts of alcohol was a key factor in the fatal incident.
The inquest, initiated in 2014, heard testimonies from over 30 witnesses, including Wanjiru’s widow, his mother Hannah Wanjiku, his girlfriend Jane Nduta Wanjiku, his athlete friends including Erastine Gatimu Ndirangu, and the night watchman at his home, Stephen Kamau Maigwa
Their statements, along with physical and forensic evidence, provided a glimpse into Wanjiru’s final hours, but the inconsistencies raised more questions than answers.
No one had witnessed Wanjiru fall from the balcony, and there were conflicting reports about his actions that day.
Treiza, Wanjiru’s wife who testified in the inquest that sought to establish the cause of death, described their relationship as troubled but denied any involvement in his death.
She stated that she had left the compound before the incident occurred.
“I do not know exactly what caused Wanjiru’s death since I was not in the compound at that moment,” said Treiza
Treiza, while narrating her last moments with her late husband, explained that on May 15, 2011, when she arrived home at around 11pm, she had an altercation with another woman she found in their bedroom, sleeping with Wanjiru.
She informed the court that when the woman grabbed her by the neck and questioned her about what she was doing there, Wanjiru was still asleep and did not say a word to her.
“I then went straight to our bedroom, and immediately a lady came out of our matrimonial bed. She told me she was Wanjiru’s wife and wanted to know who I was. I told her that I was indeed Wanjiru’s wife. She grabbed me by the collar, but I asked her to let me go. I then left them inside as Wanjiru slept. I closed the corridor door with a padlock and started calling the local OCS for assistance to avoid a recurrence of what had happened before when Wanjiru had threatened to kill me with a gun,” said Njeri.
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She said that after the altercation with the woman, she left the bedroom and asked the security guard for the keys to the house and gate.
Trezia further explained that while at the gate, she saw Wanjiru on the balcony, where he asked her to hand over the keys. However, she declined, fearing that if he caught up with her, he would hurt her.
The guard, Stephen Kamau Maigwa, who was on duty that day, testified that by the time Wanjiru fell, Treiza had already left.
He also detailed the discovery of Wanjiru’s body, describing how he found him lying on his back, with one leg folded – a version that was confirmed by subsequent witnesses.
“I was the first person to find him lying there,” Maigwa stated, recalling the moment he discovered Wanjiru’s body.
“His leg was folded, and I was the one who unfolded it. I called for help, and soon others arrived,” stated the guard.
Hannah Wanjiru, mother to the deceased, adamantly rejected the notion of an accident.
She testified emotionally, alleging that her son had been murdered in a conspiracy involving six police officers, his wife, and a lawyer.
She said her son was the victim of a vicious conspiracy targeting his wealth.
In her testimony, Hannah linked former Nyahururu OCPD Josephat Ombati, OCS Allan Ogolla their junior officers, Wanjiru’s wife Treiza, together with James Ndegwa Wahome who was also Wanjiru’s lawyer with the tragic death of her son.
“My son was murdered by those who wanted to take his wealth. I will not rest until the truth is revealed,” she insisted in her testimony.
Hannah also accused Ombati of taking her son’s safe from his matrimonial home in the presence of lawyer Ndegwa, claiming the safe contained Sh66 million.
During the inquest hearing, Hannah further alleged that Ndegwa, who had been entrusted with the custody of her late son’s multimillion-dollar properties, had colluded with her daughter-in-law, Treiza, and began selling the properties immediately after Wanjiru’s death.
Among the properties that Wanjiru’s mother revealed were in possession of her son’s lawyer is a 4-acre piece of land in Nyandarua, another five acres in Suera, three trailer lorries, two pick-up trucks, and a house in Naivasha, from which rent is collected monthly by lawyer Ndegwa.
Additionally, she claimed that a sum of Sh2 billion from UNEP, awarded to her late son for the construction of a Youth Marathon Training School, should be surrendered.
She sought Sh34 million sent by former President Mwai Kibaki to condole with the family, alleging that it went missing shortly after being released by State House.
Furthermore, Wanjiru’s mother demanded the return of a lorry that was sold by her son to fund the completion of a house in Nakuru’s Section 58, which generates Sh300,000 in monthly rent. She also requests the house and relevant documents be presented to her by lawyer Ndegwa.
Following the weighty allegations from Wanjiru’s mother and a human-rights group known as Haki Za Wanaume International, lawyer Ndegwa was immediately disqualified from representing Treiza due to a conflict of interest in the inquest by the court in September 2019.
During her evidence in court, Hannah also stated that her son was slain in his bedroom and thrown over the balcony, a theory that the court ultimately dismissed due to lack of evidence.
Despite her emotional testimony, magistrate Kagendo emphasised that there was no concrete evidence to support the claim of murder.
“There was no evidence to point fingers at any individual as being responsible for Samuel Wanjiru’s death. The most likely culprit here was the intoxication and impaired decision-making caused by the copious amounts of alcohol in his system,” said Kang’endo.
Another key witness was Jane Nduta, Wanjiru’s girlfriend, who had been in the house at the time of the incident.
She was in a separate room when the fall occurred. “I was in another room upstairs, and I heard the sound of something crashing,” Nduta recalled.
“When I came down, I saw him lying on the ground,” she added. The court found no reason to suspect Nduta or anyone else in the house.
The inquest also heard that Wanjiru had been in a compromising situation, with some suggesting that he may have been embarrassed or enraged after an encounter with his wife.
Advocate Mathea, representing Wanjiru’s family, suggested that the deceased might have attempted to escape or confront his wife, but again, there was no concrete evidence to support this theory.
One of the most crucial pieces of evidence in the case was the toxicology report, which revealed that Wanjiru had consumed a significant amount of alcohol in the hours before his fall.
Dr Eunice Wamuyu, who conducted the toxicology tests, confirmed that Wanjiru’s blood alcohol level was dangerously high at the time of his death.
This evidence was consistent with the testimonies of those close to Wanjiru, who described him as being unsteady and intoxicated on the day of his fall.
His blood alcohol content was found to be at a level that would have severely impaired his judgment and balance, making a fatal fall from the balcony plausible.
“His decision-making and balance were compromised, which led to this tragic fall. We must remember, Wanjiru was a fighter. His coach, Barardelli, described him as someone who always fought back, even when things were tough. His death is consistent with someone who was inebriated and perhaps trying to navigate a difficult situation,” noted Kang’endo.
“The most likely culprit in all this was the level of intoxication and impaired decision-making. This would have affected his ability to balance, hence the fall,” the magistrate added.
Kagendo also dismissed the theory of suicide, noting that Wanjiru’s personality and achievements did not align with such a drastic decision.
His coach, Chavard Barardelli, who had worked closely with Wanjiru for years, reiterated this point, stating: “He was a fighter. Sammy was never one to give up. He always found a way to bounce back.”
The court thoroughly examined the possible causes of Wanjiru’s death and found no evidence of foul play or suicide.
Magistrate Kang’endo specifically noted that there was no reason to believe that anyone, including his wife or girlfriend, was involved in his death.
“There was no evidence to point fingers at any individual as being responsible for Samuel Wanjiru’s death,” Kang’endo said.
Wanjiru was an iconic athlete, renowned for his speed and achievements. Wanjiru’s life and career had been marked by incredible achievements. His victories in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as well as his success in marathons in Chicago, London, and Fukuoka, made him a global sports icon.
But his personal life, marked by struggles with alcohol and complicated relationships, ultimately cast a shadow over his achievements.
For Kenya and the global sports community, Wanjiru’s death was a significant loss. As one of the nation’s most celebrated athletes, his untimely passing was felt deeply by fans and fellow athletes alike.
While the inquest ruling provides closure for some, the memory of Wanjiru, the Olympic hero, remains a lasting inspiration to athletes in Kenya and beyond.
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