Willie Kimani's Wife Reveals Only Request to Husband's Killer

A photo collage of Hannah Wanjiku Gitwiria, wife to the Late Lawyer Willie Kimani.
A photo collage of Hannah Wanjiku Gitwiria, wife to the Late Lawyer Willie Kimani.
The Standard

Hannah Wanjiku Gitwiria, widow of the late Lawyer Willie Kimani, on Monday, February 6, detailed the tumultuous journey for her family in the past six years following her husband's brutal murder. 

Appearing on the NTV morning show, she affirmed that during the sentence on Friday, February 3, she felt like confronting police Fredrick Leliman and asking him why he committed the crime. 

She felt that the answer would possibly give her a bit of closure- six years after the incident. 

According to Hannah, she refrained because of her children who had accompanied her to court. 

Former police officer and the main suspect in Lawyer Willie Kimani's murder Fredrick Lelliman stands at the dock during his sentencing on February 3, 2023.
Former police officer and the main suspect in Lawyer Willie Kimani's murder Fredrick Lelliman stands at the dock during his sentencing on February 3, 2023.
Kenyans.co.ke

"... when you're in court, you feel like you want to ask a question, ask him why. But then again, you cannot. Actually, on Friday, I had thought of doing that but also thought of the children. Because for (first-born) Castro if I had informed him he would understand. But I chose not to because it would damage his mentality on police officers," she stated. 

She described Leliman as a person whose actions caught up with him in the long run. 

"When I see that man, I don't think he's a beast, he's a normal person. Maybe, it is only that day that he exercised his power wrongly or he made a wrong decision and unfortunately, the law caught up with him. even if it's years later. 

"Or maybe, he was used to killing people, dumping their bodies and no evidence is found. With Willie's case it was a stopper for him," she noted. 

She lauded Justice Jessie Lessit for the ruling and noted how at one point, the family was aggrieved at the possibility of the case being handed over to another judge. 

"There was a time Justice Lessit was promoted so we felt she was not going to continue with this case. Personally, I had mixed emotions because if we were given another judge then that case would be dead and gone but we really thank God that they allowed her to continue," she pointed out. 

According to Hannah, she wanted Willie to be remembered as a person who was passionate and zealous in everything he did. 

“I would like Willie to be remembered as a person who was very passionate about his work, very hard working and most of all a go-getter. When he set his mind on anything, he will achieve it no matter how long it took,” she highlighted. 

The accused persons in the murder of lawyer Willie Kimani from left Peter Ngugi, Leonard Mwangi, Stephen Cheburet and Fredrick Leliman during the final judgement at Milimani law Courts on Friday July 22, 2022
The accused persons in the murder of lawyer Willie Kimani from left are Peter Ngugi, Leonard Mwangi, Stephen Cheburet and Fredrick Leliman during the final judgement at Milimani law courts on Friday, July 22, 2022
Kenyans.co.ke
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