Friday, May 20, 2011

Is this man Wanjiru's father?

By Edwin CheserekA man who claims to be the biological father of the late marathon wonder boy and Olympic champion Samuel Wanjiru has finally emerged.
Mr Elijah Chebon, 50, says he fathered the fallen marathoner after befriending his mother Ann Wanjiru 26 years ago in Nanyuki town.
Chebon, who works at the Ministry of Local Government in Kabarnet town, says he separated with Wanjiru’s mother when he was transferred from Nanyuki to Isiolo town. "At the time we met, Ann was living at William Hood Conservancy within Nanyuki town," recalled Chebon.
Elijah Chebon, 50, says he fathered Olympic champion Samuel Wanjiru after befriending her mother Ann Wanjiru 26 years ago in Nanyuki town.
He returned to Nanyuki four months after he was transferred to look for Ann, but was told they had relocated.
"Her family was at the time squatters living around Mt Kenya region, and when they were evicted, they moved to Naromoru," he recalled.
When The Standard met him at his Sumuyon village in Baringo North District, he even recalled the booth number (22978) for the public telephone, which he would use to call Ann whenever they needed to talk.
In 2008, he says, when Wanjiru won the Beijing Olympic Marathon in China, he discovered that the athlete was his son.
His efforts to get in touch with him were, however, thwarted by the post-election violence that rocked most parts of the country, he said.
"I was concerned about my security, and even wanted not to expose Wanjiru to troubles because the country was burning," he added.
And when the country returned to normalcy, he said that he kept in touch with him and even used to send him Short Text Messages (SMS) until 2009, when he booked an appointment to meet him.
At one point, he recalls, he organised to send some of his family members to go and meet him, but it coincided with their family dispute.
"My relatives were willing to go and meet his family to shed light about our relationship, but they retreated after allegations that he was found in possession of an illegal gun," he said.
He recalled sending him a message that his family would overcome temptations that threatened to break their marriage with his wife Teresia Njeri.
"It was only the nature of his life that hampered my efforts to meet with him, because there is no doubt that he was my biological son," he noted.
He also revealed that his wife was aware he had a child out of wedlock, but did not know his identity until he came into the limelight.
Chebon says he would wish his son to be buried according to Kalenjin customs, and asked Wanjiru’s family to unite and give the late athlete a peaceful send-off.
Asked if he is also eyeing Wanjiru’s wealth, which is now a subject of controversy between the deceased’s widow, his mother and three other women who claim to have cohabited with him, Mr Chebon said: "It is a taboo in our [Kalenjin] community to talk about one’s wealth even before he is buried."
The late marathon wonder boy and Olympic champion Samuel Wanjiru
On Tuesday, Peter Kimani Kirihinya, 65, of Kiambaa told journalists he was the athlete’s stepfather.
Estranged wife
Wanjiru’s mother, who moved to court in Nakuru Thursday and obtained an injunction to stop his burial for two weeks, dismissed Kirihinya also known as Kimani wa Nelly at his Ihiga village, as false.
Kirihinya had, however, said he would not contest any decision, especially by the woman he claimed to be his estranged wife, Wanjiru’s mother, over the athlete’s final resting place.
"I will want to bury my son next to where I buried his younger brother Njenga. But I would not want to place any objection to where his mother feels the body should be buried. The boy is no more, and there is no need squabbling over who or where he is buried, but granted a chance I would want to take the responsibility," said Kirihinya.
A new twist in Wanjiru’s death emerged on Tuesday, after his mother claimed her son might have been murdered.
Hannah Wanjiru alleged her son was killed in his bedroom before his body was dropped from the balcony to conceal evidence, dismissing the version given by his widow, Teresia Njeri that he fell and injured himself after jumping from the balcony in a drunken stupor.
But in an interview with The Standard on Tuesday, Njeri revealed she was at their Muthaiga residence in Nyahururu that fateful day waiting for her husband, and only left some time after 5pm for supper at a friend’s house. She went to the friend’s house after Wanjiru, whom she was expecting from Nakuru, called and said he would be late.
She said her husband was to pick her up from the friend’s house, but when he failed to do so by 10pm, she called their driver who dropped her home, not knowing her husband had arrived.
Njeri said she took some medicine and then went to the bedroom, only to find Wanjiru in their bed with a woman who claimed to be the late athlete’s wife. They quarrelled and Njeri opted to take the bedroom keys and lock them in before hurrying out to call the police.
Bloodstains in bedroom
Wanjiru’s mother Hannah Wanjiru alleged at a press conference at her house that there were bloodstains in her son’s bedroom, indicating he was killed there and his body dumped on the floor.
"I wonder why the police and the widow are giving false statements concerning my son’s death. I believe that my son did not commit suicide nor did he fall accidentally. He was killed," Wanjiru’s mother, claimed.
"Why did they wash the bloodstains in his bedroom if the killing was not done there? Where was the blood from?" she posed.
She claimed a blunt object might have been used to hit him on the back of his head where he had injuries.
So far, three women have claimed to have been either engaged or married to Wanjiru.
On which of the three women was recognised by her family, Ann said it was Mary Wacera who had legally been married by the athlete as he had even paid her dowry.
Introducing her to the Press, she said it was Wacera who had been taking care of her and she was the one every family member knew.
"As a family, we know of Wacera who has been taking care of me all the time. Njeri was just a girlfriend," she noted.
On Monday, another woman in Nakuru, Judy Wambui claimed she was carrying Wanjiru’s five-month pregnancy and that they had been friends for five years.
Speaking while standing next to Wanjiru’s mother, Wacera, who has a nine-month old baby, said that they had lived with the athlete since 2009.
Wacera, a policewoman, said they had lived together as husband and wife and he had even paid her dowry.

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