This archive report was first published on 1 November 2019.
Published on November 1, 2019, a woman claiming to be one of the widows of former Equity Bank CEO John Mwangi Kagema now wants his body exhumed for extraction of fresh samples, as the dispute over the paternity of children he allegedly sired continues in court.
Ms Serah Wanjiru Ngugi, through her lawyer George Kimani, told Justice Lydia Achode that she doubted the credibility of samples taken before Mr Kagema was buried in Ol-Kalou last year, because she was not involved.
Ms Ngugi and three other women — Esther Njeri and Leah Wanjiku Gichaga — had agreed to conduct tests to confirm the paternity of the children they claimed were sired by the tycoon. However, Ms Ngugi and Leah later doubted the credibility of the samples.
Mr Kimani said his client thought the best way to rest the matter was getting fresh samples after exhuming the body. "Our application would be for fresh samples to be harvested, with dignity it deserves, and all parties participating. The body is buried somewhere in Ol Kalou," he said, adding that the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) should do the tests.
Beatrice Wanjiku, the widow of Mr Kagema, and her lawyer Judy Thongori opposed the proposal, citing other easy and faster scientific methods of confirming paternity.
