Ex-gov’t pathologist in body organ scandal charged again

Former government pathologist, Dr. Moses Njue, who is accused of stealing organs from the corpse of former Administration Police officer and Ankamia sub-location Chief Benedict Karau has been charged for the second time in a Meru Court.

The prosecution, led by Counsel Claire Murithi, accused Dr. Njue of stealing the heart of the deceased on March 12, 2015 while at Consolata Hospital in Imenti South sub-county during a postmortem exercise.

On the second count, the doctor was charged with destroying evidence between March 12, 2015 and September 18 in the same year while at Meru Funeral Home, Imenti North sub-county, knowing that it might be required as evidence in court proceedings.

On the third count, he was charged with illegally removing parts of a body contrary to Section 13 of the Anatomy Act.

Appearing before Meru Chief Magistrate Lucy Ambasi, Dr. Mjue denied all three counts.

The pathologist, who is currently the Chief Executive Officer at the Embu Level Five Hospital, appeared before the Meru Court barely a month after he was charged with a similar offence in a Nairobi Court.

He was granted a bond of Ksh.2 million with a surety of similar amount despite his lawyer, Victor Andande, pleading with the magistrate for a personal bond with an alternative of Ksh.500, 000 cash bail in pretext that the accused was a public servant.

The lawyer also informed the court that the doctor was scheduled to testify at Maua Court in Igembe South and pleaded with the magistrate not to order for him to be remanded in prison before the processing of the bail to have him released.

Prosecutor Murithi asked the court to reject the application for a personal bond saying that, despite Dr. Njue being a public servant, the law has to be followed in regard to the nature of the alleged offence.

Calls by the defense to have the bail reduced were also rejected and the hearing of the case set on August 6, 2018, with the mention on June 28, 2018.