Tuju ‘love rival’ charged with issuing threats

By Pamela Chepkemei

Nairobi, Kenya: Former cabinet minister Raphael Tuju has been sucked into a love affair between his wife and a former police officer. Tuju has filed a com­plaint against his wife’s lover whom he claims telephoned him and made annoying utterances.

The police claim that Sammy Ogunda called Tuju on his cell phone and told him “I am going to strike you,”

Tuju accuses Ogunda of having an extra mar­ital affair with his wife. He has filed a divorce case at the High Court where he named Ogunda as the co-respondent. Ogunda was on March 14 arraigned before the Nairobi Chief Magistrate’s court where he was charged with improper use of telecommunication equipment.

But his lawyer Cliff Ombeta protested the charges arguing that the police were under pressure from Tuju to ensure that Ogunda was denied bail. The police applied to have Ogunda remanded in custody for three days to complete investigations but the magistrate rejected the application and released him on a cash bail of Sh100,000.

He said the charges stem out of a separation case which is pending in court where Tuju has sued his wife, Ruth Akinyi, and Ogunda.

The court heard that Ogunda, a former GSU officer, had called Tuju on his cell phone and told him “I’m going to strike you”.

The telephone call was allegedly made on February 8 with intent to cause annoyance to Tuju. The prosecution alleges that the words ut­tered by Ogunda were grossly offensive and an­noying to Tuju. Ogunda faces another charge of illegally being in possession of blank papers re­sembling bank notes.

The police claim he was found in posses­sion of 18 blank notes at his residence in Ngong township. Ogunda denied all the charges. His tri­al will commence on May 6.