BY SAM ALFAN.
The estranged wife of Meru senator Mithika Linturi has told a Nairobi court that she was already a millionaire when she married the legislator.
Giving her testimony in divorce proceedings she has filed Marianne Kitany said she made about Sh50 million between 2004 and 2007 by trading in shares. She said she met Linturi as she worked as the chief of staff at Deputy President William Ruto’s office. Then, the Senator was renting a house on Ngong Road, while she was residing in Kileleshwa.
He further revealed that Linturi was with her in Naivasha, when he was expected to table a motion seeking the impeachment of Cabinet Secretary Anne WaigUru. She said they spent a night at Sopa lodge and introduced Linturi to his siblings.
“We were in Sopa lodges while parliament was going on. Our relationship started going because the public felt that I had given him money to sponsor the motion,” she said.
The 44-year-old Kitany further said that on that material day when the legislature was expected to table the motion, he went missing.
Linturi had filed a petition seeking the removal of Waiguru from office for transferring Rugut from NYS.
Kitany said decision to take the lawmaker to Naivasha was a well calculated move that was planned by a team from the president and the Deputy Presidents office.
Asked by her lawyer Danstan Omari whether she can identify her husband, Kitany pointed at Linturi who was following the proceedings.
Kitany further revealed to the court how Linturi moved into her house in Kileleshwa. She said that when they were dating Linturi used to stay in a rented house called Bitha homes –a four bedroomed house and Kitany was living in Kileleshwa.
“We came back to Nairobi and slowly by slowly he started coming to Kileleshwa for sleep over. He would stay for days and finally he started living with me in Kileleshwa,” she said.
Kitany drew a picture of how she started earning and investing immediately after high school at Alliance Girls School.
She bought her own house in Komarock at the age of 21 and later on while in college she had a business. She testified that she bought shares in Mumias Company and Safaricom and KenGen among other companies painting a picture of how she started earning and getting her millions.
The court heard that Linturi he introduced his children to Kitany. Asked by her lawyer which role she played, she answered that she became their mother and took care of the children.
“I became their mother and I took care of them …made sure they went to school.” she testified.
She disputed the allegations made by the senator that she was a visitor.
The hearing continues tomorrow.
