Uncle to Marianne Kitany has testified that her estranged husband Senator Mithika Linturi gave him Sh 100,000 cash as dowry payment after negotiations.
Andrew Chepkwony who tool up the role of a father after the death of Kitany’s father told Chief Magistrate Peter Gesora that the Senator did marry their daughter in March 2016.
He refuted claims by Linturi that he did not marry her since he is married to another woman since he visited their home and carried out the necessary ceremonies of Nandi customary marriage.
Senator Linturi requested he pay cash instead of the cows and sheep given as dowry which totalled to Sh 100,000,” Chepkwony testified.
Led in examination in chief by Kitany’s lawyer Dunstan Omari, the witness added that Linturi was accompanied by one Rufus Miriti who the master of ceremony on their side and some other people whose names he could not remember.
The court heard when asked why the parents did accompany Linturi, he told Chepkwony that in Meru traditions, if a man is marrying for second time he is not accompanied by his parents. Instead, he is accompanied by his age mates.
“After the negotiations and payment of dowry, we told him the girl is his and fermented milk (mursik) was drank by both parties as per Nandi traditions,” Chepkwony added.
It was his testimony that Miriti later took out miraa (khat) and gave it to him. He then gave it to Kitany who chewed it and distributed to everyone at the ceremony including Linturi. These he said, he was told is according to Meru traditions as a sign of acceptance.
The uncle told the court that after the ceremony, he gave Kitany’s mother a car (Nissan xtrail) as a gift and everyone at the ceremony witnessed it.
He further testified that he is shocked to hearing Linturi referring to Kitany as a visitor who had overstayed her visit since after the ceremony, she was his wife.
Chepkwony told the court that according to Nandi culture, if a couple separates and they had children the dowry will not be refunded dowry. But if the wife had children, the elders decided.
The hearing will continue on 27th November.
