Ex-Tetu MP Ndungu Githinji and his co-director at the Sh20 billion Kihingo Estate have been exonerated in an assault case where one of the 55 house owners was beaten up by employees of his company.
The former legislator and a past chairperson of the National Assembly’s Defence and Foreign Relations committee had been charged with interfering with renovations on a house at Kihingo Village (Waridi Gardens) Limited (KVWRL) in Kitisuru, Nairobi County.
Gethenji was charged alongside Chacha Maranga, a director of KVWRL. The two were accused of creating a disturbance on July 2 while in the company of others and breaching the peace by stopping the renovation of house Number 26D, belonging to Mr. Varsani.
Mr. Kishor Varsani who claims to have been assaulted and his sweater worth Ksh.1500 torn apart, has cleared former Tetu MP James Ndung’u Gethenji and Mr. Chacha Maranga from blame for the incident.
Mr. Varsani, who was testifying before Milimani Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku, identified four suspects as among those he claimed rained blows and kicks on him, then chased away four masons who were renovating a Ksh58 million house which he bought in 2011.
However, Mr. Varsani identified four suspects, among them Mr. Franklin Kaburu, the head of security at Kihingo, whose control and management has sparked a bitter rivalry between Mr. Gethenji and his elder brother Fredrick Gitahi. Mr. Varsani was a witness testifying in the breach of peace case against Mr. Gethenji before Milimani Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku
“They were not among the six men who accosted me on July 2, 2019, around 3.45 pm, assaulting me and tearing my pullover,” Mr. Varsani said.
Mr. Varsani identified four suspects as among those he claimed rained blows and kicks on him, then chased away four masons who were renovating his Sh58 million house which he bought in 2011.
He purchased the house from Kihingo Village Waridi Gardens Management Limited whose chairman is Mr. Gethenji. Kihingo Village in Kitisuru consists of 55 houses that each has one share in the management company, a clubhouse, and social amenities.
Quizzed by defense Lawyer Willis Otieno, “Was Mr. Gethenji and Mr. Mabanga amongst those people you have told this court assaulted you?” he responded saying, “No, Mr. Gethenji and Mr. Mabanga were not among the people who assaulted me on July 2, 2019,” he replied.
Waridi Gardens is a commercial and residential park developed by the Gethenji family. It features high-cost homes, shopping malls and other recreational facilities.
