Deputy President William Ruto’s pilot, who died in a helicopter crash on March 3, 2019, is set to be buried after his kin signed an agreement note.
The burial date for Mario Magonga has been set for Saturday, July 13 in Kitale.
His mother, Melania Magonga, and Joy Mwangi, a woman who claimed to be his wife, signed a letter of consent before High Court judge Jaqueline Kamau detailing the terms of the agreement.
Captain Mario’s body was transferred to the Lee Funeral Home on March 4 after DNA results confirmed the identities of the crash victims.
Melania declined to recognise Mwangi as the wife of his son claiming that she was just a girlfriend and the two were never legally married.
On her defense, Mwangi challenged Melania’s assertions revealing that they were married and living together.
Judge Kamau earlier heard that Mario had been married to another woman, Harriet Nekoye, who they parted with ways in 2008.
“I am the surviving widow and we have lived together as husband and wife for more than 10 years with Mario,” Ms Mwangi stated after producing court documents showing that Mario and Nekoye had finalised their divorce on February 13, 2017.
She also stated that she met the late pilot in 2007 and after introducing him to her parents, they started living together in 2008.
Nekoye, on her side, brought a marriage certificate that showed that she had been married to Mario since 2001.
“Over the years, we have kept in touch and he would let me know the challenges he was going through with Mwangi. At no time did Mario intend to marry Mwangi,” claimed Nekoye
Mario's mother told the court that she only recognised Nekoye as the pilot’s wife.
