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Louis Otieno bribed guards to sneak into Careen’s house – witness


Former television news anchor Louis Otieno used to sneak into the apartment of Ms Careen Chepchumba, the former Kenya power employee who was found murdered in her house four years ago, an inquest heard on Tuesday.

Mr Paul Ng’ang’a, a close friend of Ms Chepchumba’s family, told the inquest that Louis Otieno and the deceased were in a relationship.

He said Mr Otieno had stressed Ms Chepchumba over time and she had resolved to terminate their relationship.

“She had come to borrow money when she opened up to me what she was going through. She informed me that she was in relationship with one Louis Otieno, a famous person,” Mr Ng’ang’a said.

PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA
PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA

Mr Ng’ang’a, a business consultant, said the affair had strained Ms Chepchumba’s relationship with her parents.

“She was killed a day after a meeting to get her out of debt. The meeting resolved that Careen should return to her parents’ house and sell her household items to pay some of the debts. She also requested to be assisted to end her relationship with Louis,” he said.

Ms Chepchumba’s father, Hosea Kili, had earlier told the inquest that her daughter borrowed heavily to finance Mr Otieno’s lavish lifestyle.

According to Mr Ng’ang’a, careen once sought help from him saying Mr Otieno was stressing her with demands for cash.

“She told me Mr Otieno would sneak into her apartment after bribing guards. Her father was concerned of her daughter’s relationship with Louis that one day he asked me if he knew of a young man to introduce to her so as to get her mind from Louis,” Mr Ng’ang’a testified.

According to Ng’ang’a, Ms Chepchumba had lied to him that she required money to go for treatment in South Africa.

Former television personality Louis Otieno testifies at a murder inquest at Kibera law courts on June 03, 2016. PHOTO | BENSON MATHEKA
Former television personality Louis Otieno testifies at a murder inquest at Kibera law courts on June 03, 2016. PHOTO | BENSON MATHEKA

A second witness, Mr Edward Bitok, uncle to Ms Chepchumba, testified that she borrowed Sh800,000 from him saying she had a printing business to finance that never was.

He said that she had asked him to talk to her parents to accept her relationship with Louis.

“I told her that I would consider that if the man is in her age bracket and discipline. She said that the man had a dark past,” said Mr Bitok.

He told her that her parents had reason to oppose the relationship.

Mr Bitok, who attended the family meeting to bail out Ms Chepchumba from her debt, told the court that she had borrowed over Sh3 million to pay Louis Otieno’s medical bill, house rent and upkeep.

“She said she was under pressure to settle some other debts which she did not disclose. She disclosed she paid school fees for Mr Otieno’s kids, that Louis was annoyed she could not pay school fees for his son who was set to join form one,” he said.

Mr Bitok, a banker, said the family meeting had resolved to assist her pay off her debts on condition she returns to her parents’ house.

She was also to sell her household items to settle some debts.

She expressed disappointment that she was used by Louis Otieno and was to file an extortion claim with the police and get a restraining order for Louis not to visit or call her.