Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Monday, February 15 stopped the succession case in the property of Dysseleer Mireille - a woman of Belgian ancestry who is believed to have died under mysterious circumstances - leaving behind a Ksh100 million estate.
Mireille, aged 65 went missing in 2019, and although the circumstances behind her disappearance are yet to be unraveled, the DCI has established that there was foul play.
Lawyer Hari Gakinya presented a succession case in October 2019 confirming the death of Mireille and claiming to be the executor of her properties. He was seeking grant letters of administration.
He had three wills and a death certificate which the DCI believe are fake. Sergeant Franklin Kiraithe and Oliver Nabonwe a forensic expert informed Justice Teresa Matheka of tangible proof that the documents presented were falsified.
"We have reasons to believe that Mireille is dead and there was a foul play in her death," noted Kiraithe.
Kiraithe told the court that after her disappearance, Gakinya obtained her car and used it to secure a Ksh2 million loan before selling the car for the same amount. Her residence was reclaimed and sold immediately after.
The detective disputed the suit telling the court that Gakinya was presenting a fake death certificate of Mireille indicating 15 July 2019 as her date of death at MP Shah Hospital following an ailment in order to get his hands on the assets.
“We have a letter from the State Department of Civil Registration denouncing the death certificate produced by the executor. The department claims that the certificate must be a forgery because it didn’t originate from them,” he added
According to Kiraithe, MP Shah Hospital distanced itself from the victim saying it never attended to her and she did not meet her death there countering the report on the death certificate.
"The executor was found with two other forged wills ostensibly prepared by Mireille, save for the one used to file the case in court dated November 15, 2018. After subjecting them to forensic documentation, they were found to be fake,” he revealed.
The will was accompanied by a letter from a Samburu chief with names of beneficiaries of the properties in question. According to statements on the charges, the lawyer and one Lucy Waithera named in the will, reportedly killed Mireille between December 2018 and July 2019.
He pleaded with the court to halt the succession case on grounds that the documents presented were fake. Karanja Mbugua, the lawyer who assumed the case from Gakinya contested the credibility of the petition.
Justice Matheka asked the detectives to make a formal petition ahead of the mention on Monday, March 2020.
Ruto Postpones School Reopening Breaking News
