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.
