The scene of the police helicopter crash in Kibiku, Ngong forest on June 10, 2012. The Eurocopter was carrying Kenya's Internal Security minister George Saitoti, his deputy Joshua Orwa Ojode along with two pilots and two bodyguards who all died in the crash. Photo/ANTHONY OMUYA/NATION MEDIA GROUP
By VINCENT AGOYA vagoya@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Monday, October 1 2012 at 21:39
Posted Monday, October 1 2012 at 21:39
IN SUMMARY
- Tests conducted on one of the pilots of the helicopter revealed he inhaled “dangerous” levels of carbon monoxide before the crash.
- A forensic chemical analyst, who examined Captain Oyugi’s body parts and blood, said that she found 68.8 per cent concentration of the poisonous gas on June 12 after a police officer brought them to the government laboratory for analysis.
A fire may have started in the helicopter that crashed killing Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and his deputy Orwa Ojodeh before the accident in June, an inquest heard on Monday.
Tests conducted on one of the pilots of the helicopter revealed he inhaled “dangerous” levels of carbon monoxide before the crash.
A forensic chemical analyst, who examined Captain Oyugi’s body parts and blood, said that she found 68.8 per cent concentration of the poisonous gas on June 12 after a police officer brought them to the government laboratory for analysis.
Toxicological analysis
Ms Joyce Wairimu Njoya told the investigating team led by appellate judge Kalpana Rawal that she also examined body parts of Captain Nancy Gituanja, the pilot, and Prof Saitoti.
But, she said, the same toxicological analysis on Ms Gituanja and Prof Saitoti gave a negative result.
“There was the presence of carbon monoxide detected in the blood of body number four, the one marked Luke Oyugi,” Ms Njoya said, “but no other toxic substances were detected,” she added.
The witness said her analysis reflected that such levels of concentration showed the gas was inhaled in a fire in a closed-up place or a confinement.
Asked by the lawyer of Prof Saitoti’s family Fredrick Ngatia to explain why Ms Gituanja who sat next to Mr Oyugi did not have traces of the gas in her system, the witness said she had no explanation but maintained her findings were indisputable.
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Ngatia: Is it possible that the inhalation of carbon monoxide occurred while Mr Oyugi was still alive?
Njoya: I concur.
Ngatia: The inhalation to the level of 68.6 per cent means you are exposed to the fumes in a confined place for a period of time?
Njoya: Yes, its not instantaneous, its for a period of time.
Ngatia: It was then unlikely to inhale that extent in a fire which was in the open?
Njoya: I cannot give that answer, I cannot know the circumstances under which he inhaled the gas.
Njoya: I concur.
Ngatia: The inhalation to the level of 68.6 per cent means you are exposed to the fumes in a confined place for a period of time?
Njoya: Yes, its not instantaneous, its for a period of time.
Ngatia: It was then unlikely to inhale that extent in a fire which was in the open?
Njoya: I cannot give that answer, I cannot know the circumstances under which he inhaled the gas.
Pressed further by Lady Justice Rawal, the witness explained that it was unlikely to inhale carbon monoxide in the open.
The witness said a report on Mr Oyugi was complied on June 22, while Ms Gituanja’s was done after 18 days lapsed. The reports were later collected by the police on July 31.
Also testifying was Mr John Kimani Mungai who said he extracted DNA samples from the body tissues that a police officer from Ngong station brought to the laboratory. He said the inhalation was in the aircraft with the possibility that life was “still in existence.”
He said traces of the poisoning in the blood would be fairly possible if the samples were taken fairly quickly thereafter.
Another witness Mr William Kailu said he ascertained there was no petrol or an explosive in the debris he sampled after the accident. Hearing continues on Tuesday.
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