Maendeleo ya Wanaume chairman Nderitu Njoka arrested over court case

Maendeleo ya Wanaume chairman Nderitu Njoka (L) shortly after being arrested by plainclothes police officers at Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on January 3, 2014. PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Mr Njoka had just stepped out of court after giving evidence in the case he filed alongside Catherine Njeri Maranga against Mr Muturi’s wife
• There was another new twist in the case after Mr Muturi, who was in court, told the presiding judge that his wife had been taking good care of him

By VINCENT AGOYA
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There was drama at the Milimani Law Courts on Friday when plainclothes police officers pounced on the Maendeleo ya Wanaume organisation chairman Nderitu Njoka shortly after he had given evidence in a case.

Mr Njoka had claimed a wife locked up her husband at their matrimonial home in Kikuyu town, denying the man access to medical care.

The four armed police officers were enforcing a warrant issued against Mr Njoka for allegedly creating a disturbance and damaging property at the home of Francis Kiong’o Mutiri when he led residents in the storming of the homestead in a bid to rescue Mr Mutiri and take him to hospital.

“We are arresting you as you are wanted in a Kikuyu court for the disturbance you created at Mr Mutiri’s home,” an unidentified police officer told Mr Njoka before serving him with a copy of the warrant. (VIDEO: Kikuyu rescue mission turns chaotic)

Mr Njoka had just stepped out of court after giving evidence in the case he filed alongside Catherine Njeri Maranga against Mr Muturi’s wife Bertha Njeri.

NEW TWIST

There was another new twist in the case after Mr Muturi, who was in court, told the presiding judge that his wife had been taking good care of him.

Two of his children were also in court and told the judge that their mother had been taking care of their father since he became bedridden after an accident in Naivasha.

“My wife is highly dedicated... she is the only one who I can allow to see my nakedness, she has been taking care of me,” Mr Muturi who was speaking with difficulty told the court.

A medical practitioner also told the court Mr Muturi has been under care through the intervention that saw him stabilise since the accident.

“At the moment he is able to talk, the is a medical team attending to him to boost what his wife does,” Dr Kimani Njoroge said.

Mr Njoka and Ms Maranga had filed a suit claiming that Mr Muturi had been ailing for the last three years with his condition constantly deteriorating and wanted an order compelling his wife to take him to a doctor.

“On June 5, 2013 we did hold a fundraising in aid of the subject so as to enable him get medical attention... the funds raised were handed over to the respondent - she being the subject wife, but to my consternation the respondent did not utilise the funds so raised,” Ms Maranga who claims to be a friend and a concerned neighbour to Mr Mutiru says in an affidavit.

However, the family has asked the court to disregard the suit as they have been taking care of the sick man.