Saitoti family rejects pilot’s tale

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PHOTO | STEPHEN MUDIARI Captain Charles Wachira uses a miniature helicopter to stress his point as he testifies during the proceedings of the inquest into the helicopter crash at the KICC in Nairobi on September 25, 2012.  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By LILLIAN ONYANGO laonyango@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Tuesday, September 25  2012 at  23:30

IN SUMMARY

• Captain Charles Wachira told the commission investigating the helicopter accident that killed former Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and his deputy Orwa Ojodeh that it was “the most dangerous thing that can happen to a pilot”
• Mr Wachira shared his account while responding to questions from lead state counsel Lucy Kambuni, who asked him to explain to how pilots use an instrument known as the artificial horizon to determine the orientation of the aircraft and how a pilot could lose orientation
• A debate later ensued when lawyer Fred Ngatia representing Prof Saitoti’s family noted that the “technical issues” Mr Wachira was raising were not captured in his statement

A witness on Tuesday recounted how he nearly crashed while flying a helicopter.

Captain Charles Wachira told the commission investigating the helicopter accident that killed former Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and his deputy Orwa Ojodeh that it was “the most dangerous thing that can happen to a pilot”.

He said it took him much struggle to regain control of the aircraft.

“It is one of the most difficult situation because the moment the aircraft starts descending, and because of the gravity force sometimes you cannot even be able to pull back the control. Literally you are stuck,” Mr Wachira said.

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He went on: “I was a young pilot and by the grace of God I came out of it.”

Mr Wachira shared his account while responding to questions from lead state counsel Lucy Kambuni, who asked him to explain to how pilots use an instrument known as the artificial horizon to determine the orientation of the aircraft and how a pilot could lose orientation.

“If you do not have those things to refer to, then you would not know if you are upside down and you could get confused,” he said.

A debate later ensued when lawyer Fred Ngatia representing Prof Saitoti’s family noted that the “technical issues” Mr Wachira was raising were not captured in his statement.

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“This is evidence catching us by surprise, and in the event that that dramatic incident has any probative value in this commission, we are entitled to an opportunity to seek expert advice,” Mr Ngatia said adding that he would require more details to test if the event happened.

Lady Justice Kalpana Rawal, the commission chairperson, directed Mr Wachira to step down until a supplementary statement was taken.

Ms Kambuni later told the commission that she was not aware that the witness had had such an experience.

Mr Wachira had initially been gazetted as a member of the commission but withdrew.

The commission later went into a closed-door session after Lady Justice Rawal barred the media from reporting on circumstances relating to the next witness expected to appear before the panel.