The mother to estranged wife of Senator Mithika Linturi has testified that her daughter did get married to him under the Nandi customary laws.
Rhoda Kitany told Chief Magistrate Peter Gesora that her daughter Marianne Kitany, former Chief of staff at the office of Deputy President William Ruto informed her in 2016 that they wanted to go home for introductions.
Rhoda, a pastor at Africa Gospel Church testified that she prepared and invited her family and friends for the occasion.
“The first time he came to our home before the wedding was during a fundraising at our church where he donated Sh 1 million. Thank you very much my son,” the mom testified.
Led by Kitany’s lawyer Dunstan Omari, Rhoda told the court that on the day of the wedding, she received the Meru community in her home.
She said that Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi even knelt down at the function and asked for Kitany’s hand in marriage on behalf of Linturi.
It was her testimony that that the Senator came accompanied by 19 people while on her side were six family members.
The court heard that after the negotiations, the elders talked and agreed on dowry payments. It alleged that the Senator paid her brother-in-law Sh 100,000 as part of dowry.
She added that afterwards, the Meru community requested to also conduct what they termed as part of Meru Customary laws which is share and chew Miraa (khat) with the family of the bride as a sight of solemnizing the marriage outside her house.
The court heard that everybody at the ceremony including herself and her daughter chewed the miraa.
She further said that after the chewing, a white pick-up full of assorted foods brought by Linturi was received by herself and her people.
He further gave me a vehicle (Nissan xtrail) to use in doing the jobs Marianne was doing for me like going to the shop, river etc.
The ceremony ended around 5.
The children for the couple, used to visit her during the holidays.
She also told the court that she has been to the Runda house severally.
Rhoda testified that she went there last year in August August after Marianne called her together with Linturi’s parents to air her grievances on the issues in her marriage with Linturi. Linturi had moved to into their Meru home by that time.
“I told them we can not do the meeting in absentia of my son-in-law so we pushed the meeting forward.
According to Rhoda, Linturi attended the second meeting but said he was in a hurry.
She said that during the meeting, Linturi said he would return her titled deeds that he had used without permission to obtain loans from a bank but he has never done so to date.
The witness told the court that her daughter told her that her life was in danger and she has been sleepless night because of it.
The case will proceed on 25th September.
